ashton sanders is riveting in the ‘native son’ trailer

Based on the Richard Wright novel of the same name, Native Son is a contemporary update on the classic novel. The film adaptation was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks with artist Rashid Johnson leading the project in his directorial debut.

Bigger Thomas (Ashton Sanders) is a punk-loving bike messenger with green hair who lands a job as a driver for a rich white man in Chicago. In this new world of excess, Bigger is introduced to people and experiences that put him in high-stakes situations that threaten his job and his future. And he can’t have that.

The anticipated drama premiered last month at the Sundance Film Festival just after HBO snatched up distribution rights from A24. Native Son is set to air on the network on April 6.