'Moonlight' director releases 'If Beale Street Could Talk' trailer

Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Moonlight director Barry Jenkins has released the first trailer for his next film, If Beale Street Could Talk based on late author James Baldwin's novel of the same name.

Jenkins posted the trailer Thursday on Twitter in honor of what would have been Baldwin's 94th birthday.

"For me, August 2nd has always been a day to pay tribute, so... a teaser of what's to come. Happy Birthday, Jimmy," the filmmaker said.

If Beale Street Could Talk follows the story of Tish who fights to exonerate her lover Fonny who has been falsely accused of rape. Tish is pregnant with Fonny's child and hopes to free him from jail before the child is born.

The clip features Tish, portrayed by Kiki Layne, falling in love with Fonny (Stephan James) before they have to deal with being separated from each other due to Fonny being incarcerated. Regina King is also featured in the trailer as Fonny's mother.

If Beale Street Could Talk is set to arrive in theaters on Nov. 30 after first premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry, Teyonah Paris and Dave Franco also star.

The film is Jenkins' first after releasing Moonlight, which won big at the 89th Academy Awards in 2017 taking home Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Screenplay.

Jenkins is also set to direct all 11 episodes of Amazon's The Underground Railroad, based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about slavery in 19th-century America.