WGN America's 'Underground' Pilot: Aldis Hodge, Jurnee Smollett's First Look Teaser!

WGN America has released a first-look pilot teaser of their upcoming drama Underground. Join the highly anticipated first look of the drama series starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge, and Alano Miller.

As we previously mentioned, the period drama takes place in the antebellum South as a band of plantation slaves attempt to make a perilous escape. During this time period, the slaves at a plantation risk everything for a chance at freedom. They all want to head on over to the North and escape on the Underground Railroad. The show will also examine the lives of slaveholders, slave hunters, and abolitionists.

Academy award winning musician John Legend has signed on as executive producer and states, "We are excited to join forces with WGN America and Sony and the talented team of writers and producers on this powerful project that we believe will inspire us all. This series has a unique opportunity to speak to the passion and courage of those who risked it all as they raced to freedom. We are honored to bring our creative vision to this thrilling project."

According to Deadline, WGN has dropped a teaser for its original scripted drama series about the Underground Railroad. Though there is no official release date yet, we can speculate that the period drama will debut early next year.

USA Today mentions the ensemble cast boasts boasts an ensemble cast, that includes Jessica De Gouw (Arrow and Dracula), Alano Miller (Jane The Virgin), Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU) and Jussie Smollett (Empire). The pilot written by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, who also serves as executive producer alongside Tory Tunnell, Joby Harold, and Academy Award-winning writer Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind). Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius from John Legend's production company, Get Lifted, have also joined the list of executive producers.  

Underground is slated premiere in 2016 on WGN America.

Readers, are you excited to see Underground?