John David Washington joins the ‘afterlife’ in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet trailer

John David Washington and Robert Pattinson appear in a cryptic trailer for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.

The action-packed video sees Washington’s character recruited by a mysterious organisation which appears to be fighting to “prevent World War Three”.

As he wakes from some kind of treatment, he is told by a shadowy figure: “That test you passed? Not everybody does. Welcome to the afterlife.”

Twilight star Pattinson, sporting long hair, stars alongside him in a chase scene which appears to feature a car crashing in reverse time.

The trailer also features Sir Michael Caine and Sir Kenneth Branagh.

Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Clemence Poesy also star.

The two-minute clip ends with the tagline Time Runs Out, followed by the date July 17 2020, when the film will be released in cinemas.

The film is Washington’s first lead role in a major Hollywood production since his acclaimed turn in Spike Lee’s Oscar-winning BlacKkKlansman.

London-born filmmaker Nolan is one of the top directors in Hollywood thanks to films such as Dunkirk, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception.

On Thursday he was awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace, saying the honour was a “tremendous thrill”.