The first trailer for "12 Years a Slave" is a brutal reminder of America's dark past, TheWrap said.

Director Steve McQueen's follow-up to "Shame" has Chiwetel Ejiofor ("American Gangster") starring in the true story of Solomon Northup, who lived in upstate New York as a free man, but was kidnapped and sold into American slavery in the 1840s.

Michael Fassbender portrays a brutal slave driver, with Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Scoot McNairy, Sarah Paulson and Benedict Cumberbatch rounding out the ensemble cast.

Brad Pitt, who also produced, plays a Canadian abolitionist, while Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis has a role as one of Northup's children.

"12 Years a Slave" hits theaters on Dec. 27.