Malcolm D. Lee, the director behind The Best Man and Girls Trip, is officially entering his “thriller era”. Peacock recently debuted the first official trailer for Lee’s upcoming psychological thriller, Strung, which stars Chloë Bailey in a hauntingly different role than fans are used to seeing from the multi-hyphenate star.
In Strung, Bailey plays Laila, a gifted violinist who lands a lucrative, live-in position as a music tutor for Sari (Romy Woods), the daughter of an enigmatic and incredibly wealthy family. What initially seems like a dream opportunity for a young artist quickly spirials into a nightmare.
As Laila becomes more entangled in the family’s opulent but unsettling world, hidden secrets begin to surface, secrets that force her to question her safety, her future, and her very sanity.
The trailer introduces a particularly eerie tone with Sari greeting Laila while wearing a white Zulu mask, warning her: “The Zulu believe that if you die in your dreams, you die in real life. Be careful what you dream”.
The film is a major co-production between two of Hollywood’s most successful Black-led banners: Tyler Perry’s Peachtree & Vine and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Productions. While Perry serves as a producer, this is decidedly a Malcolm D. Lee film, marking his first foray into the psychological thriller genre.
“I love a good suspense thriller and a solid narrative that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats,” Lee said in a statement about the project. “The countless times I reacted out loud while reading the script’s twists and turns motivated me to put my own stamp on this evergreen genre”.
Leading the supporting cast is the legendary Lynn Whitfield, who steps into the role of Audra, the family’s commanding matriarch. She is joined by Emily in Paris star Lucien Laviscount, who portrays Marcus. Coco Jones and Anna Diop round out the cast.
The film is set to have its world premiere as the opening night film for the 30th anniversary of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) in Miami Beach on May 27.
Following its festival debut, Strung will be released exclusively on Peacock on June 26. Check out the trailer.
