Sony drops Prima Facie trailer with Cynthia Erivo as barrister Tessa

Sony Pictures has released the official trailer for Prima Facie, the film version of Suzie Miller's one-woman play, Deadline reported on 22 September.

Cynthia Erivo stars as Tessa, a criminal barrister whose work takes a personal turn. The film is directed by Susanna White. It adapts Miller's stage text for the screen, keeping its tight focus on one woman's voice.

The trailer follows the film's world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Festival launches are often used to set up autumn releases and press coverage before a cinema opening.

Prima Facie is set for theatrical release in the UK and Ireland on 13 November. Sony Pictures holds international rights for the UK and elsewhere, The Hollywood Reporter reported earlier in September. No US distributor has been announced yet.

Sales are being handled jointly by UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance, which are co-representing the film to buyers territory by territory. That kind of sales process is normal for independent films without a worldwide studio deal in place. The project first launched sales at Cannes in 2025, Variety reported at the time.

The play is well known to theatre audiences. Jodie Comer led the stage production in London's West End and on Broadway. The London run won Olivier Awards including Best Actress for Comer, and she later won a Tony Award for the Broadway performance.

What makes this stand out for cinema-goers is the switch in lead. Comer carried the story alone on stage. Erivo now takes on Tessa for the screen, with White behind the camera.

For fans, this means a first proper look at that new pairing. The trailer gives the tone and setting without giving away the full calendar beyond Britain and Ireland. The next step to watch is a US date.