'Nightingale' Trailer: David Oyelowo Loses His Mind

Of last year’s many Oscar snubs, David Oyelowo not receiving a nomination for his commanding leading performance in Selma was a total shock. 2014 was Oyelowo’s breakout year, and Selma cemented his place as an intensely talented star. The actor has a few films hitting theaters this year, and one hitting the small screen, as well: Nightingale, the new HBO film from producer Brad Pitt. And judging by the first trailer, Oyelowo knocks this one out of the park — but are you really surprised?

Nightingale is a one-man show, evocative of a theatrical play, in which Oyelowo portrays Peter Snowden, a lonely Iraq war veteran who’s holed up in a hotel waiting for a friend to visit and slowly losing his mind. Oyelowo carries the entire film by himself — there are no co-stars and the film takes place entirely in the hotel room during its 80-minute runtime.

What you see above is a teaser trailer for the film, but that seems like the only promotion HBO needs, as it captures Snowden’s increasingly jarring descent into madness. The teaser reflects that manic energy, and promises a very unique, compelling experience.

Nightingale was directed by Elliott Lester from a screenplay by Frederick Mensch, and arrives on HBO on May 29.