Coming off her Emmy win for her role as Rue in Sam Levinson’s Euphoria, Zendaya and the creator of the HBO hit re-teamed for a unique new project over the summer amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Levinson wrote the script for Malcolm & Marie in six days and shot the film also starring Tenet’s John David Washington in just a couple weeks under strict production guidelines. You wouldn’t know it, because this upcoming Netflix release looks like a real treat.
Following the film reportedly being sold to Netflix for $30 million, Malcolm and Marie is soon heading to the streaming service. The trailer has just been released and it gives us a glimpse of the intimate and emotional ride the romantic drama will be. Shot in black and white and taking place solely in the home of Washington’s filmmaker character and his girlfriend, we go on a journey with them as their relationship gets tested.
Malcolm & Marie will follow Zendaya and John David Washington following the celebratory premiere of Malcolm’s latest movie being raved by critics and expected to be a major commercial success. Zendaya’s Marie seems to challenge his likability in the context of their relationship, quoting that he’s sweet, but not when he’s being an “emotional fucking terrorist” in between playful, but earnest screams at one another.
Fans of Euphoria will catch Sam Levinson’s style, especially with Zendaya narrating the words of his script. The Spider-Man actress is known for spewing his self-aware and deep-cutting ideas, but in this context Malcolm & Marie is tackling an adult relationship rather than the struggles of a group of teens. It’s exciting to see what else the writer/director is capable of, and under these almost improvised circumstances, it certainly looks like he’s ready to deliver something special.
During the trailer, Malcolm & Marie makes the distinction that it is “not a love story,” but a “story of love” in between moments of embrace from the characters and fiery arguments. The movie is apparently an ode to great classic Hollywood romances (hence the black and white?) and certainly subverses the “quarantine movie” narrative by not making a movie about the pandemic in quarantine, but telling a unique story under the circumstances.
It’s great to see these two talents come together to be part of a project that’s much different from their big-budget pursuits, such as John David Washington’s recent starring role in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet and Zendaya back to work with Tom Holland for the third Spider-Man film coming later this year.
Zendaya also teamed up with Sam Levinson this year for an emotional Euphoria holiday special episode called “Trouble Don't Last Always.” Another special episode focused on Hunter Schafer’s Jules is coming January 24, just a week ahead of Malcolm & Marie hitting the streaming service on February 5. Check out everything else new available on Netflix this month on CinemaBlend.
