Based on the bestselling novel, “Washington Black” is a sweeping story of discovery, hope, and escape. 

LOS ANGELES — Get ready for a soaring adventure—Hulu has released the official trailer for its upcoming series “Washington Black,” and it promises a globe-spanning journey.

Based on the bestselling novel by Esi Edugyan, the series follows the 19th-century odyssey of George Washington “Wash” Black, an 11-year-old boy born into slavery on a Barbados sugar plantation. Gifted with a brilliant scientific mind, Wash is thrust into a world of uncertainty and wonder after a life-altering event forces him to flee.

What unfolds is an extraordinary journey that challenges everything he knows about freedom, family and identity. Along the way, Wash encounters danger, invention, and the transformative power of hope.

Sterling K. Brown, who also serves as executive producer, stars alongside Ernest Kingsley Jr. as Wash. The cast also includes Rupert Graves, Iola Evans, Edward Bluemel, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Eddie Karanja and Tom Ellis.

In a striking moment from the trailer, Wash takes flight in a fantastical hot air balloon-blimp hybrid, with Ellis’ character declaring, “It is time to fly.”

All eight episodes of “Washington Black” premiere July 23 on Hulu and on Hulu on Disney+.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Hulu, Disney+ and this ABC station.