While there are two Nelson Mandela-centric movies in the works right now, you’ve probably heard more about this venture, the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba as the South African leader and freedom fighter and Naomie Harris as his wife, Winnie. Clocking in at over two and a half hours, the film is an ambitious (and thorough) look at Mandela’s life, spanning from his youth to his rise as . From the film’s official synopsis:
This epic motion picture spans Mandela’s extraordinary life, from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected President of South Africa. ‘MANDELA’ is the thrilling story of an ordinary man who rose to the challenge of his times and triumphed – an intimate portrait of the making of a modern icon.
Though this isn’t the first time Mandela has been depicted on screen, Elba is being praised early for his portrayal, as he seems to have captured his spirit and mannerisms well in the already-released trailers. Now to judge how he looks (and the film in general) with a new batch of images from the movie, courtesy of The Playlist. Overall, the film looks powerful and vibrant. That old-age makeup on Elba though…may need a little work.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is in theaters November 29th.
