Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey will be back on the big screen soon. After proving that he is way passed the RomCom leading man roles, through his superb acting in 'Dallas Buyers Club,' 'The Wolf of Wall Street', and 'Interstellar,' he will soon star in the historical drama 'Free State of Jones.'
The movie will revolve around a Mississippi farmer named Newton Knight who stood up against the Confederacy during the American Civil War. He formed an army of small farmers and slaves to launch a rebellion which eventually resulted to a Free State of Jones.
The actor shares, "It's a story about America and its relation with the individual and freedom. The period of Reconstruction following the Civil War is still under construction today. Why we were divided by race instead of being united by class didn't make sense to Newt Knight back then, and it wouldn't make sense to him today."
The movie poster has been unveiled, showing Knight's signature stare, in black and white. The actors' eyes seem to have captured the guerilla's passion for what he had fought for. McConaughey's character also played a huge part in the Reconstruction government, and historians are divided as to whether his cause was justified or not. Fans of the actor are waiting to see this controversial film as many say it is another Oscar-worthy production. It is not expected to get any nomination though because its release is too late to be considered for this year's Academy Awards.
Joining McConaughey is Keri Russell who will portray his first wife, as well as Gugu Mbatha-Raw will play his second wife Rachel, a former slave who inspired Knight's desire to form the free state of Jones.
Director Gary Ross, responsible for the box office 'The Hunger Games,' is directing the Civil War movie and it is expected to be released on May 13.
