Photos: Chiwetel Ejiofor Stars In 12 Years a Slave

Check out stills from 12 Years a Slave, the upcoming film starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as real-life Solomon Northup, a free black man who was tricked, kidnapped and sold into slavery.

Northup was a married and educated black man, born free and living in New York when he was kidnapped in Washington DC after two men approached him with a job offer.

His kidnappers drugged and sold him into slavery and after 12 long years of being enslaved by different owners he was able to get word to his family and his wife Ann enlisted friends who helped secure his freedom.

12 Years a Slave is based on Northup’s 1853 biography Twelve Years a Slave and co-stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodard and Brad Pitt who produced the film via his production company Plan B with Steve McQueen serving as director.

12 Years a Slave is scheduled to hit theaters December 27, 2013.

Slave movies aren’t my thing (gets me riled up) but I’m glad this story’s being brought to the big screen.