The Water Man trailer unveils David Oyelowo’s enchanting directorial debut

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RLJE Films has released the first official trailer for THE WATER MAN, a powerful-looking fantasy drama directed by and starring David Oyelowo. Premiering only in theaters on May 7th, the story follows Gunner Boone (Lonnie Chavis), who sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Rosario Dawson) by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. After enlisting the help of a mysterious local girl, Jo (Amirah Miller), they journey together into the remote Wild Horse forest — but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Their only hope for rescue is Gunner’s father (Oyelowo), who will stop at nothing to find them and in the process will discover who his son really is.

In addition to the aforementioned stars, The Water Man also features Alfred Molina and Maria Bello in key roles. Oyelowo directs from a screenplay penned by Emma Needell. On the production side, Harpo Films produced the feature, with Oprah Winfrey executive producing alongside producers Oyelowo, Carla Gardini, Shivani Rawat, and Monica Levinson.

“I grew up loving family films that have adventure, fantasy, and jeopardy whilst never patronizing their young protagonists,” said Oyelowo in a statement. “As a father to four children I want to share films with my kids that both entertain and equip them for the highs and lows that lie ahead. I relish watching films with them that both transport our family to a different world and then leave us having meaningful conversations. I love films that do that, so I set out to make one for them, other families, and hopefully, the whole world!”

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It always does my heart good to see a new fantasy-oriented film making its way to theaters. Judging by the trailer, The Water Man looks like it could be a real tear-jerker. Of course, RLJE is no stranger to distributing films that deal with kids hoping to rescue their ailing parents. If you need an example, watch 2017’s I Kill Giants. I happened to write our review for that one. If you’d like to check it out, click here. It’s one of the best comic-to-screen adaptations I’ve ever seen, and it’ll hit you in the feels like a ten-ton hammer.

The Water Man will flow into theaters on May 7, 2021.