In September, Annapurna Pictures released the official trailer for If Beale Street Could Talk and now, to hype the film’s upcoming theatrical release, the final trailer has emerged, with a classic R&B song carrying the clip as a whole.

Directed by Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk is an adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same name. While the production was officially announced In July 2017, Jenkins had previously written the screenplay in 2013 while simultaneously working on the script for Moonlight. At the 2017 Academy Awards, Moonlight became the first film with an all-black cast to win Best Picture, along with being the first LGBTQ feature to win the same honor. With his latest film, Jenkins cast KiKi Layne - in her debut role - as Clementine “Tish” Rivers and Canadian actor Stephan James (Selma, Race) as Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt, two African-American lovers facing racial conflict in 1970s Harlem.

Today, Annapurna Pictures released If Beale Street Could Talk’s final trailer, which leans heavily on the romantic dynamic between Tish and Fonny. The clip begins strong, as the Fugees’ 1996 cover “Killing Me Softly” plays over a shot of the central couple dancing, laughing, and contemplating Tish’s pregnancy.

As side character dialogue fills out the story, the score seamlessly drops the original musical accompaniment to emphasize Lauryn Hill’s acapella vocals over the most dramatic shots, including a jailhouse talk that opened the first trailer. With the inherent romance and conflict established, the trailer then highlights various critic quotes, and comes to a close with a message of hope and endurance. 

Just as If Beale Street Could Talk’s official trailer showcases Jenkins’ intimate direction and warm visuals, the final clip touches upon the same aesthetic, with lots of brown and yellow. In a way, the strong color palette is comparable to Dee Rees’ 2017 Netflix film Mudbound, which utilizes mostly browns and greens. For If Beale Street Could Talk, Jenkins teamed up with his Moonlight cinematographer James Laxton, the director’s long-time collaborator dating back to their college years at Florida State University. On Twitter, Jenkins shared the final trailer for his new film, which received high acclaim upon premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last September. 

As a director, Barry Jenkins seems fully capable of taking on any genre. But he seems to thrive with examinations about race, class, and relationships - passion projects that explore human nature and people with their backs against the wall. If Beale Street Could Talk will be in theaters this December.

More: Why Moonlight Won the Oscar for Best Picture

Source: Annapurna Pictures

  • If Beale Street Could Talk Release Date: 2018-12-14