One Tinder date ends up changing two people — and the world — forever in the latest trailer for “Queen & Slim.” After going out to dinner, Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith, “Nightflyers”) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”) drive around for a bit. A white cop pulls them over and suddenly the black couple’s lives are threatened. In self-defense, they accidentally kill the police officer — and then they run.
While their lives are now infinitely more complicated — they’re fugitives, after all — Queen and Slim are also heroes of sorts. They fought back against a system that has been killing innocent people of color for far too long. “Y’all really gave us something to believe in, we needed that, for real,” one character tells them. Another describes them as “new Black Panthers” before raising his fist in solidarity.
The couple even inspire a social movement. The spot offers a glimpse of a protest, with participants chanting “Let them go!” — seemingly a demand to pardon Queen and Slim.
While the duo have complicated feelings about their actions and the mythology that’s quickly forming around them, they’re happy together. Their lives will never be normal again, but at least they have each other. “Thank you for bringing us this far,” Queen tells Slim. “Thank you for this journey, no matter how it ends.”
“Queen & Slim” is written by Lena Waithe and directed by Melina Matsoukas. In 2017, the former became the first black woman to win a comedy writing Emmy for her “Thanksgiving” episode of “Master of None,” which was helmed by Matsoukas. She recently signed an overall deal with Amazon, for which she’ll create and exec produce new Amazon Prime series. You can see Waithe next in Season 3 of “Westworld,” expected in 2020.
Matsoukas is making her feature directorial debut with “Queen & Slim.” She’s helmed over half a dozen episodes of HBO’s “Insecure.” The 2019 recipient of the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal won Grammy Awards for Rihanna’s “We Found Love” and Beyoncé’s “Formation” music videos.
“Queen & Slim” opens November 27.
