Spike Lee Releases Official Trailer for Netflix Film 'Da 5 Bloods' Starring Chadwick Boseman & Delroy Lindo
The film starring Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, and Clarke Peters will be available on June 12.
The last time Spike Lee caught the attention of the mainstream and his cult fans was when he dropped BlacKkKlansman two years ago. Now the Oscar-winning filmmaker returns to unveil the trailer for his new Netflix film, Da 5 Bloods.
Based on the story of four black veterans, the film centers around Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norme Lewis), and Melvin (Isaiah Witlok) returning to Vietnam. Their reason for travel is for the remains of their fallen leader Chadwick Boseman and a promise for hidden treasure from years ago. The official description also notes the four former soldiers accompanied by Paul’s son (Jonathan Majors) “battle forces of Man and Nature — while confronted by the lasting ravages of The Immorality of The Vietnam War.”
In a recent feature with Vanity Fair, Spike shared:
"Let me tell you a story. The United States Armed Forces came close to being torn apart when black soldiers heard that Dr. King was assassinated. They also heard that their brothers and sisters were tearing s**t up in over 100 cities across America. The tipping point came very close; the black soldiers were getting ready to set it off in Vietnam — and not against the Vietcong either."
Lee also expressed in a new interview with Complex that the film originally wasn’t going to be about African American vets. “Basically, it was not going to be African American Vietnam vets. And adding Marvin Gaye's songs and album to it.” He added, “I like to say that the script was written by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. It was a question where my co-writer Kevin Willmott and I had to come in and rewrite from beginning to end. We would not have done it in the first place. It was a great script.”
Da 5 Bloods is Lee’s first feature film at Netflix. From the trailer, it’s pretty clear the movie is set to be an emotional project that explores PTSD and other issues that ravaged Vietnam vets. The movie follows his scripted series She’s Gotta Have It which starred DeWanda Wise and was canceled after two seasons.
Da 5 Bloods arrives on Netflix on June 12. Take a look at the trailer below.