Melina Matsoukas is responsible for directing some of the most striking music videos of all time, including Beyoncé’s “Formation” and “Pretty Hurts,” Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” and Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.” Her feature film debut, Queen & Slim, looks set to make just as much of a splash, boasting a script by Lena Waithe (Master of None, The Chi) and starring Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Widows, Black Panther) and Jodie Turner-Smith in her first starring feature role.
Kaluuya and Turner-Smith play a young black couple who, while on a first date, are pulled over by a cop. The encounter ends with the police officer shot dead as the young man acts in self-defense, and the couple going on the run. The dashcam footage of the incident goes viral, making them infamous — as well as symbols of trauma, grief, and the cost of systemic violence.
The first trailer for the film showcases Kaluuya and Turner-Smith’s performances, as well as revealing glimpses of Bokeem Woodbine, Indya Moore, and Chloë Sevigny. Matsoukas and Waithe are producing the film, as well as James Frey (upon whose idea Waithe’s screenplay is based), Andrew Coles, and Michelle Knudsen.
The film is due to hit theaters on Nov. 27.
