Zola: Trailer unveiled for stripper film inspired by viral Twitter thread

The 148-tweet thread went viral in 2015 and is now coming to the big screen

A first trailer has been unveiled for Zola, an upcoming film based on a viral Twitter thread from 2015.

A24, the film’s distributor in the United States, unveiled the clip on Wednesday. The entertainment company has been behind such movies as the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems, Ari Aster’s Midsommar, and Jonah Hill’s Mid90s.

The Zola trailer features Taylour Paige (seen recently in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) as Aziah “Zola” King, the title character and narrator of the story. Riley Keough (The Devil All the Time, The Girlfriend Experience), portrays Stefani, a woman who invites Zola on an out-of-control road trip.

Succession star Nicholas Braun, Tony winner Ari'el Stachel, and Colman Domingo (Euphoria, Fear the Walking Dead) also form part of the cast.

Zola, directed by Janicza Bravo and co-written by Bravo and Jeremy O Harris, is scheduled for release in the US on 30 June 2021. A UK release date has yet to be confirmed.

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Back in 2015, a 148-tweet thread by Twitter user @_zolarmoon went viral, captivating thousands of users on the platform. The thread was then explored by a Rolling Stone piece titled “Zola Tells All: The Real Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted”.

A24 described the film in a tweet on Wednesday as “based on the life and work of @_zolarmoon”.