Spike Lee is fast at work in his first film in more than a year. Following 2014’s Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus, the heralded Brooklyn, New York filmmaker is using the violence epidemic of Chicago to apparently elicit some comic relief and food for thought in Chi-Raq. The feature film stars the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Dave Chappelle, Wesley Snipes, Nick Cannon, Angela Basset, Jennifer Hudson, Teyonah Parris, and John Cusack.

Arriving December 4, this 40 Acres And A Mule film/Spike Lee Joint is being perceived as Spike’s first full-length musical comedy. In the just-released film trailer, there appear to be lots of dramatic moments too. As Spike has successfully made society look at itself and the world around us before, can Chi-Raq cease the gunfire and malice in Chicago? Moreover, can this bring awareness to those who may blissfully ignorant?

As a note, in many of his films, Spike Lee has used contemporary, cutting-edge Hip-Hop to illustrate his characters and their world. That seems to be the case in Chi-Raq too.

After the trailer, is this a film you presently plan on seeing in theaters?

Related: Spike Lee Speaks on Eric Garner and Americans Doing the Right Thing (Video)