Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for director Clint Eastwood's true story drama Sully. The film stars Tom Hanks as Chelsey "Sully” Sullenberger, the “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot who glided a disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson, saving the lives of the 155 people onboard. But the picture also tells the story of what happened next, as an investigation into the event threatened to destroy Sully's career.

Unlike Robert Zemeckis' FlightSully is actually based on a true story of a modern-day hero who's still living with the memories of that fateful day. That makes it a little easier to sell audiences on the premise, but it's much more difficult to keep a sense of suspense, mystery, and drama throughout the film when everyone in the theater knows the ending. That being said, this first trailer does an excellent job of showing how the emergency water landing is merely the hook for Sully, while the investigation into the incident, and Sullenberger's reaction to their questions and accusations, along with his newfound and somewhat unwanted fame, form the meat of the pice. It looks to be more a study of a man than the moment that would come to define him; there's none better than Hanks and Eastwood to bring that story to the screen.


Watch the first Sully trailer below. Scripted by Todd Komarnicki, the film also stars Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney and opens in theaters on September 9th.

Here's the official synopsis for Sully:

On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the “Miracle on the Hudson” when Captain “Sully” Sullenberger glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard.  However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.

sully-tom-hanks-clint-eastwood
Image via Warner Bros.

sully-poster