Bombshell: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie in Fox News drama

Three women enter a lift. A palpable tension hangs in the air between them as they stand in silence and exchange glances. One attempts to utter a word but cuts herself off. The teaser trailer for the Oscar-tipped Bombshell reveals almost nothing, because all has already been revealed.

Before the #MeToo movement swept the entertainment industry, there was the Fox News scandal where 20 women stepped forward to accused Roger Ailes, the former CEO of the right-wing television network, of sexual harassment. Though both he and the network denied these claims, he stepped down two weeks later.

Two of the most prominent women among the accusers were Gretchen Carlson and news anchor Megyn Kelly, portrayed by Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron respectively. Carlson attributed the destruction of her career to AIles’s persistent harassment, and his non-consensual advances were among the factors for Kelly’s decision to leave the network. Theron, in particular, is unrecognisable as Kelly, in the newest addition to a series of transformative performances including her Oscar-winning turn in Monster.

Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman aren’t the only major names in the film’s sizeable cast. Margot Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil, a fictional character created for the film, Ailes is portrayed by John Lithgow and Kate McKinnon appears as a Fox News employee.

Bombshell is directed by Jay Roach, who made a name for himself helming the Austin Powers films and Dinner for Schmucks. If the warning bells are ringing, fear not, as comedy directors have proven their worth when making the transition to drama. To name one: Adam McKay, the director of Anchorman who made a quick ascent in the awards field for dissecting the intricacies of world-changing events in The Big Short and Vice.

This isn’t the only adaptation of the Fox News scandal this year. Coming to small screens soon is The Loudest Voice with an equally high-profile cast including Russell Crowe as Ailes and Naomi Watts as Carlson, though Bombshell is perhaps the superior of the two in terms of hype.