Trailer: ‘Hidden Figures’ Tells Untold Story Of John Glenn’s Launch Into Orbit

During the Rio Summer Olympics, an event which saw American Simone Biles make history in the sport of gymnastics, 20th Century Fox debuted the first trailer for a film where a trio of African-American women working at NASA also made history.

Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer headline a talented ensemble that also includes actress-musician Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons (TV’s The Big Bang Theory).

Hidden Figures tells the story of how Katherine G. Johnson (Henson), Dorothy Vaughn (Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Monáe), a trio of extremely talented African-American women working at NASA, served as the brains behind astronaut’s John Glenn’s launch into orbit in 1962. Battling stereotypes in the midst of the Civil Rights movement, these three defied expectations on their way to making history.

Theodore Melfi, who previously helmed St. Vincent starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy and Naomi Watts, directs from a script he co-wrote with Allison Schroeder (Mean Girls 2). Pharrell Williams, who is one of the producers, will have new music tracks and be composing the score with Hans Zimmer.

Hidden Figures is set to blast off into theaters on January 13, 2017.