The first trailer for Mike Leigh’s journey into the bloody 19th-century history of the British massacre, Peterloo, has dropped.

The film brings to life the less talked about tragedy of 1819 where British forces charged on a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester, England, which results in the massacre.

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, the cast includes Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Neil Bell, Philip Jackson, Vincent Franklin, Karl Johnson, Tim McInnerny.

There has never been a feature film about the Peterloo Massacre,’ says Leigh. ‘The universal significance of this historic event becomes ever more relevant in our own turbulent times.

Also in trailers – New trailer for James Cameron’s manga adaptation Alita: Battle Angel arrives

The film is released in cinemas November 2.

Peterloo Official Synopsis

An epic portrayal of the events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British history. The massacre saw British government forces charge into a crowd of over 60,000 that had gathered to demand political reform and protest against rising levels of poverty. Many protestors were killed and hundreds more injured, sparking a nationwide outcry but also further government suppression. The Peterloo Massacre was a defining moment in British democracy which also played a significant role in the founding of The Guardian newspaper.