Hollywood heartthrob Michael B. Jordan has a new movie role that is softer than his typical characters. A new trailer for the upcoming film A Journal For Jordan shows the 34-year-old actor as the leading man alongside Chanté Adams. Variety reported the romantic drama directed by acclaimed actor Denzel Washington is inspired by real-life events.
A Journal For Jordan is based on the memoir A Journal for Jordan: A Story of Love and Honor by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Canedy. It follows the story of First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, played by Jordan as he writes letters to his newborn son from overseas. King is killed while in Iraq when the son, named Jordan, is only seven months old. His wife, Canedy, who is played by Adams, keeps every letter.
During an interview with USA Today, the Creed star opened up about playing a different type of leading man. The film will see Jordan outside of his typical roles, which he described as being “a good change of pace.”
“I’ve done a lot of physical roles, because that’s been my appetite. I’m 34; the last seven years has been [about] physically developing into your sweet spot,” explained Jordan. “I felt safe to be able to go into this, to explore these characters, and to be vulnerable in that type of way.”
He also described the experience of working with industry veteran, Denzel Washington and what that means for his career. Washington is one of the most recognized and decorated actors of all time, including two Oscar Awards, two Golden Globes, and a Tony Award.
“Everybody wants to work with him, and he’s a very selective guy,” said the Black Panther actor. “So the fact that he wanted to work with me was a huge deal for me.”
The film began production in December 2020 and ended this April and is slated for a Christmas holiday release in theaters. According to Jordan, Canedy helped ensure her story was told accurately and helped lead “us in the right direction of what they were going through during these times.”
A Journal For Jordan is written by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Virgil Williams and both Washington and Jordan are producers. The production team also includes Escape Artist’s Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch with Ange Giannetti overseeing for Sony Pictures.
Watch the teaser trailer for A Journal For Jordan below: