Zendaya and John David Washington star in Malcolm & Marie, one of the first films to be written and shot during quarantine. Ahead of its February 5th premiere on Netflix, the first trailer has been revealed today.
The new drama closely examines lovers Malcolm (Washington) and Marie (Zendaya) — delving into their romance, lust and chemistry, as well as their tension, baggage, and flaws. Filmed in black-and-white, their movie unfolds over the course of one night, as a synopsis from Deadline notes,
“A filmmaker (Washington) returns home with his girlfriend (Zendaya) following a celebratory movie premiere as he awaits what’s sure to be imminent critical and financial success. The evening suddenly takes a turn as revelations about their relationships begin to surface, testing the strength of their love.”
The first Malcolm & Marie trailer does a fine job of showing viewers the many sides of this complex and tumultuous relationship. One minute they’re rolling around in bed, entwined in each other’s arms, the next they’re screaming and stomping about in the kitchen. And given both actors’ immense talents — Zendaya’s history-making turn in Euphoria, Washington in BlacKkKlansman and Tenet — you know it all looks raw and real as hell. Watch down below.
Malcolm & Marie is directed by Sam Levinson, creator of Euphoria. As previously noted, the idea for the movie first came from Zendaya, who called Levinson asking if he could write and direct a project during lockdown. Levinson reportedly turned in a script within just six days, and filming took place last summer while adhering strictly to COVID-19 safety requirements.
Netflix paid a massive $30 million dollars for rights to the film, after a promo for it premiered during the virtual Toronto International Film Festival in August.
“I am so grateful to this cast and crew, many of whom are my ‘Euphoria’ family, for coming together during such uncertain times,” Levinson said at the time of Netflix’s purchase, per Variety. “We felt privileged to be able to make this film together and we did so with a lot of love. We are all thrilled that it has ended up with Netflix which is unparalleled in allowing filmmakers the freedom to tell their stories that reach audiences all over the world.”
Both Zendaya and Washington serve as executive producers, as do Yariv Milchan (Ad Astra) and rapper Kid Cudi.
