The first trailer for Netflix’s Malcolm & Marie will tell you: this is not a love story. John David Washington, 36, and Zendaya, 24, play a couple whose relationship is put to the test over the course of one night. The evening starts off in a celebratory way as they return home following a movie premiere. Malcolm awaits what’s sure to be an imminent critical and financial success., but things quickly take a turn.
At one point, Zendaya’s character screams as John’s character. They both start yelling at each other. They may be in the same house, but this couple couldn’t be further apart. “You know what, Malcolm? I feel like once you know someone is there for you and once you know they love you, you never actually think of them again. It’s not ’til you’re about to someone that you finally pay attention,” Marie tells Malcolm.
Malcolm demands to know what Marie wants from him. When Marie is taking a bath, the couple has an emotional conversation. “You want control because you can’t imagine the reason I’m with you is because I love you,” Malcolm tells her as she cries.
“All I wanted was a thank you, Malcolm. That is it,” Marie admits. Malcolm claims that Marie knows he’s thankful for her. “You know that I made a mistake, so why are you turning this into something more?” he asks. She replies, “Because it’s about how you see this relationship.” Marie tells him that she’s the last person standing, and he needs to “hold onto to me for dear life.”
Malcolm & Marie was written and directed by Sam Levinson. This is the second team-up for Zendaya and Sam. Sam is also the creator and writer of Euphoria, the hit HBO series that earned the actress her first Emmy in 2020.
The film was made in secret during the COVID-19 pandemic. Details were first released in July 2020. Filming took place from June 17 to July 2 at the Caterpillar House in Carmel, California, according to Deadline. The movie will be released February 5 on Netflix.