Having struggled with roles since his superb Oscar-winning turn as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland (2006), Forest Whittaker looks set for a major comeback as he stars in the upcoming biopic drama The Butler.

The film, which is directed by Lee Daniels (Precious, The Paperboy), is currently tipped as one of next year’s main Oscar players and has just unveiled its official trailer.

Set over the course of thirty years, the film focuses on the life of African-American butler Eugene Allen (Whittaker) who served eight US Presidents including John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Ronald Regan from 1952 to 1986. During that time, he found himself witnessing the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond.

It will be based on Wil Haygood’s 2008 Washington Post article ‘A Butler Well Served by his Election‘.

Chat show host Oprah Winfey returns to acting duties as Allen’s wife with a host of talented actors co-starring including Oscar-winners Jane Fonda (Coming Home, On Golden Pond), Cuba Gooding Jr (Jerry Maguire, Men of Honor), Melissa Leo (Frozen River, The Fighter), Vanessa Redgrave (Julia, Atonement) and Robin Williams (Mrs Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting).

John Cusack (Con-Air, Meet John Malkovich), Terence Howard (Crash, Iron Man), James Marsden (X-Men trilogy, Enchanted), David Oyelowo (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Jack Reacher) and Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Harry Potter series) also complete the starry ensemble.

The film is scheduled for a US release on October 18th though a UK date has yet to be revealed.