‘BlacKkKlansman’ Trailer Teases Spike Lee’s Unbelievable Buddy Cop Comedy
Following its premiere at the Cannes film festival, the first trailer for Spike Lee’s highly-anticipated BlacKkKlansman has landed online. Starring John David Washington (son of one Mr. Denzel Washington) and Adam Driver, Lee’s latest film looks like another instant classic from the prolific director behind Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and Summer of Sam.
In the ’70s, a black rookie cop (Washington) goes undercover to infiltrate the KKK with the help of a fellow Jewish officer (Driver). It’s a plot that sounds too bonkers to be true, and yet — unbelievably — it is 100 percent based on a true story. Jordan Peele produced BlacKkKlansman, which also stars an almost unrecognizable Topher Grace as Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke. Though the basic plot of the film might suggest a more dramatic vibe, as you can see in the trailer, this is a wild buddy cop comedy — one that may prove somewhat controversial.
The film also looks like a major breakout piece for Washington, best known for his standout work on the HBO series Ballers. Here’s the official synopsis (emphasis mine because THAT NAME):
From visionary director Spike Lee comes the provocative story based on Ron Stallworth’s real life as Colorado Springs’s first African-American police officer who went undercover to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan. Unbelievably, Detective Stallworth (John David Washington) and his partner Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) penetrate the KKK at its highest levels to thwart its attempt to take over the city. Produced by the team behind the Academy-Award® winning Get Out, Spike Lee uses his trademark take-no-prisoner style and humor to tell this story often missing from the history books.
BlacKkKlansman hits theaters on August 10.