'Django Unchained' Trailer: Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Vengeance

Here's the first trailer for Quentin Tarantino's new film, Django Unchained. I don't think I need to say much more, other than that the trailer shows the rescue of Django (Jamie Foxx) by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), who enlists him to help find three slaver brothers. In the process, they come across big-time slaver Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who may hold the key to Django's long-lost wife (Kerry Washington).

This trailer evades some of the more potentially uncomfortable aspects of the film (a pretty matter-of-fact depiction of the horror of slavery) in favor of a far more salable blend of vengeance, violence, and cool.

Check out the trailer below.

Fandango has the official trailer release.

One thing that surprises here is the music choice — the songs we hear are a lot more mainstream than what I would have expected from Tarantino. The precise makeup of the soundtrack in his films is always a fun thing, and these aren't quite the deep cuts he's known for. They're not bad choices, mind you, just more obvious ones than we're accustomed to.

And I know there were those who didn't love the choice of Jamie Foxx for the lead role, but I expect this footage will help put any concerns about that decision to rest.

Django Unchained hits on December 25.

Set in the South two years before the Civil War, DJANGO UNCHAINED stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.

Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South's most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.