Barry Jenkins has finally released a trailer for If Beale Street Could Talk, his sumptuous follow-up to Best Picture winner Moonlight. In the new film, an adaptation of James Baldwins novel of the same name, newcomer Kiki Layne and Stephan James (Selma, Race) play Tish and Fonny, an engaged couple in Harlem who are expecting their first child. However, their relationship is thrown into chaos when Fonny is accused of a crime he didnt commit, forcing Tish and her family to prove his innocence.
Jenkins released the trailer on Thursday morning, on what would have been Baldwins 94th birthday. “For me, August 2nd has always been a day to pay tribute, so… a teaser of what's to come,” Jenkins wrote on Twitter. “Happy Birthday, Jimmy 
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The trailer is lush, narrated by old audio of Baldwin himself. “When I was growing up, I was trying to make a connection between the life I saw and the life I lived,” he says. “There are days when you wonder what your role is in this country and what your future is in it. This is one of them.” Its a haunting, effective choice, and a clever way to weave Baldwin right into the core of the teaser.
Regina King also stars in the film, playing Tishs mother, as does Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta), featured briefly in the trailer. Both actors were recently nominated for Emmys (for Seven Seconds and Atlanta, respectively), so it looks like theyre going to have an extremely busy awards season even beyond September. If Beale Street Could Talk seems like an obvious contender in the best picture category based on Jenkinss reputation alone—which may make Damien Chazelle feel a bit uneasy. His 2016 film La La Land was frequently pitted against Moonlight during that years Oscar race; this year, Chazelles contender, the Neil Armstrong biopic The First, is set to be released make its debut at the Venice Film Festival. If Beale Street Could Talk, meanwhile, will have its world premiere days later at the Toronto Film Festival—potentially setting up another season-long rivalry.
Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Yohana DestaYohana Desta is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.
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