WATCH: Charlize Theron As Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman As Gretchen Carlson In ‘Bombshell’

On Wednesday, Lionsgate released the first trailer for "Bombshell," its feature film on the sexual harassment allegations against former Fox News Channel chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, who resigned in July 2016 as a result of the scandal and died less than a year later. The film stars Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, Margo Robbie as a fictitious news producer at the network, and John Lithgow as Roger Ailes. 

In its report on the film's first trailer, Deadline notes that, for some reason, Lionsgate chose to drop the trailer "very quietly."

The film is directed by Jay Roach, who also directed the politically charged made-for-TV movie "Game Change" (2012) about Sen. John McCain naming former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate. The screenplay was written by Charles Randolph, who also wrote the script for "The Big Short" (2015).

The teaser trailer does not feature Lithgow's Ailes, but it provides the audience a look at the three female leads heading up to the second floor, where Ailes' executive suite was located. Deadline points out that the trailer also provides a glimpse of Saturday Night Live comedian Kate McKinnon as a producer with the network, whose name hasn't yet been provided on IMDB.

Watch the trailer below via Lionsgate:

 

 

Fox News has long been in the crosshairs of Hollywood, the scandal surrounding Ailes' departure providing the perfect opportunity to take aim at the network. The allegations against Ailes first began to emerge when Carlson sued him in July 2016 for sexual harassment in what turned out to be a precursor to the #MeToo movement, which erupted in fall 2017 as a result of a flood of accusations against megaproducer and Democrat megadonor Harvey Weinstein.

As The Daily Wire reported at the time, Carlson filed the lawsuit on July 6, 2016, about two weeks after being fired for what she alleged was her refusal to succomb to his sexual advances. Two months later, 21st Century Fox settled with Carlson for a reported $20 million. "We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect that she & all our colleagues deserve," the company said in a statement announcing the settlement in early September 2016.

About two weeks after Carlson filed her lawsuit, reports revealed that Kelly had made similar accusations against Ailes, allegations she detailed in her book "Settle for More," published in November 2016. 

 

Amid mounting pressure and a growing number of accusations, Ailes resigned from Fox News on July 21, 2016. Though Ailes denied the "false" allegations and claimed that Carlson's lawsuit was "retaliatory," he said in his resignation letter that he was stepping down because he didn't want to be a "distraction" for the network.

Ailes died in May 2017 from "complications of a subdural hematoma after he fell at home injuring his head," the medical examiner's report states. "Hemophilia contributed to his death and his manner of death was accidental. There was no evidence of foul play."