Watch: Will Smith Battles the NFL in First ‘Concussion’ Trailer

This Christmas Will Smith transforms into Dr. Bennet Omalu , the brilliant Nigerian forensic neuropathologist, who single-handedly made the first discovery of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) in a professional football player. His findings raised public awareness for the degenerative disease that leads players to suicide.

Directed and written by Peter Landesman , Concussion is based on Jeanne Marie Laskas ‘ 2009 GQ article “ Game Brain ,” a whistle-blower tale which humanized the price paid by professional athletes in impact sports, and the political, cultural and corporate interests that fuel the business of professional sports.

In the newly released trailer above, we see Dr. Omalu take on “Goliath” — the NFL and its efforts to deny the life-long debilitating problems as a result of repeated concussions.

This spring, a federal judge approved a $1 billion settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit between the NFL and thousands of former players. There are also many individual lawsuits pending, including one concerning Junior Seau , a former linebacker who suffered from CTE and committed suicide in 2012.

'Concussion' (2015) Poster

‘Concussion’ (2015) Poster

Concussion also stars Albert Brooks ( Drive ), Alec Baldwin ( Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation ), Gugu Mbatha-Raw ( Beyond the Lights ), Paul Reiser ( Whiplash ), Eddie Marsan ( Ray Donovan ), Luke Wilson ( Old School ), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ( Major Lazer ), and Hill Harper ( Covert Affairs ).

The dramatic thriller was produced by Elizabeth Cantillon, Giannina Facio, Ridley Scott, Larry Shuman , and David Wolthoff under Village Roadshow Pictures, Scott’s Scott Free Productions and The Shuman Company.

It will hit theaters worldwide, beginning with the U.S. on Christmas Day 2015 via Columbia Pictures.

International releases are currently as follows: Cambodia, Dec. 29; Portugal, Dec. 31; Norway and Sweden, Jan 8, 2016; Belgium, Jan. 13; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine, Jan. 14; Denmark, Jan. 28; UK, Jan. 29; Turkey, Feb. 5; and France, Mar. 2.

Keep up with Concussion at #ForTheGame .

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