Denzel Washington Plays the Titular Attorney 'Roman J. Israel, Esq' in New Trailer

Denzel Washington is back in the fray as a strict lawyer in the Dan Gilroy-directed Roman J. Israel, Esq trailer. The thriller-drama focuses on the underbelly of Los Angeles’ criminal justice system, where the titular defense attorney undergoes a turbulent series of events that challenge his notorious activist history that has largely defined his career.

The character plays well off of Denzel’s particular temperament in such iconic roles such as Training Day and American Gangster but a bit more tongue-in-cheek. In fact, Gilroy wrote the character with Washington in mind, stating:

“Roman is defined by his belief in something greater than himself. He’s a man of faith. He has this common, universal humanity to him that he believes. Denzel, if you research Denzel, he’s literally a man of faith. So it was never going to be hard for the audience to buy into the idea that the actor playing the part believes in the things Roman is doing. I think one of the reasons why Denzel dissolves into the character is because they’re so close to each other in so many ways. Denzel embodies the idea of a man living his life on terms that are based on a cause — going toward something. That’s why I really wrote it for him.”

Roman J. Israel, Esq. opens in theaters in November. For now, check out the trailer above and share your thoughts in the comments below.