Movies The trailer for David Oyelowo's The Water Man teases a tale of adventure, fantasy, and jeopardy The actor's directorial debut stars Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller, Alfred Molina, Maria Bello, and Oyelowo himself. By Clark Collis Clark Collis Senior Writer EW's editorial guidelines Published on April 14, 2021 12:02PM EDT In David Oyelowo's directorial debut The Water Man (out May 7), Gunner (Lonnie Chavis) and his mother (Rosario Dawson) share a special bond, but when his mom's illness worsens, he disappears into stacks of books on both science and the supernatural in search of possible cures. After learning about the mythic Water Man, who may carry the secret to everlasting life, Gunner and his rebellious friend Jo (Amiah Miller) go on a quest into the Water Man's mysterious forest. Facing challenges and dangers they never imagined, the friends' hope for rescue lies with Gunner's father (Oyelowo), who must immerse himself in his son's world to follow the clues that will lead him to the kids and put his family back together. RLJE Films "I grew up loving family films that have adventure, fantasy and jeopardy whilst never patronizing their young protagonists," says Oyelowo, in his director's statement. "As a father to four children I want to share films with my kids that both entertain and equip them for the highs and lows that lie ahead. I relish watching films with them that both transport our family to a different world and then leave us having meaningful conversations. I love films that do that, so I set out to make one for them, other families and hopefully, the whole world!" Oyelowo is, of course, known as an actor, whose credits include Selma and Jack Reacher. The Water Man is executive-produced by Oprah Winfrey. Alfred Molina and Maria Bello also star. The Water Man will be released in theaters, May 7. (Wear a mask!) Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Related content: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo to lead HBO Max's The Girl Before adaptation Selma star says Oscar voters blacklisted film over cast's 'I Can't Breathe' T-shirts David Oyelowo on reinventing classic fairy-tale characters for Sundance-bound Come Away