Matthew McConaughey is aiming for another Academy Award with his latest film. Free State of Jones is an explosive Civil War drama that stars McConaughey as Newt Knight, a former Confederate soldier who becomes disenchanted with the South’s cause and creates a free territory for escaped slaves in Jones County, Miss.
With the assistance of a cavalry of escaped slaves, including his wife, Rachel, Knight embarks on a fiery rebellion against the Confederacy.
Free State of Jones is based on a true story. Knight’s journey from Confederate soldier to outlaw is chronicled in historian Victoria E. Bynum’s book, The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War.
“This fight’s for our children, and our children’s children,” McConaughey says in the movie’s trailer.
The trailer is full of action. There are shootings, explosions, lynchings, and funerals in the two minute-long sneak peek. Though McConaughey leads the film, actresses Keri Russell and Gugu Mbatha-Raw also have significant roles as Knight’s first and second wives, respectively.
Free State of Jones is set to be released on May 13.
