A first-look teaser trailer has been released for Lena Waithe’s highly-anticipated Showtime series, The Chi.
Created and exec produced by Waithe, it’s also executive produced by Common and Elwood Reid and Aaron Kaplan. Rick Famuyiwa is onboard as a director and executive producer.
The series “explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago.”
It stars Jason Mitchell (Detroit, Mudbound), Jacob Latimore (Detroit, Sleight), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Queen of Katwe), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Yolonda Ross (The Get Down), Armando Riesco (Bull) and Tiffany Boone (The Following). Sonja Sohn, Jahking Guillory (Kicks), and Steven Williams recur.
Showtime’s description: Kevin (Hibbert) is the pre-teen who must step past shattered illusions and embrace the normal rites of childhood, while Brandon (Mitchell) the dreamer makes his own nearly impossible leap of faith to succeed in life and love with girlfriend Jerrika (Boone). Emmett (Latimore) is the carefree teen is thrust into complex responsibility with guidance from his mother Jada (Ross), and Ronnie (Mwine) is the drifter whose struggle to love and be loved calls into question his every pursuit.
The version Showtime picked up for series is a redevelopment of the original pilot, which starred Jason Weaver, Tequan Richmond, Aisha Hinds, Alex Henderson, Sierra McClain and Olivia Dawson.
Watch the teaser trailer below: