Watch the Trailer for 'Zola,' the Most A24 Film Ever

By Dustin Rowles | Film | March 31, 2021 |

By Dustin Rowles | Film | March 31, 2021 |

Zola is a movie based on an actual 2015 148-tweet Twitter thread about a waitress in Detroit who met a stripper and took a trip to Florida with her to see how much money they could make. The Twitter thread, which involved sex work, murder, and attempted suicide, quickly went viral. Many of the details were later confirmed by Rolling Stone’s David Kushner, and it was turned into a screenplay and given to James Franco to direct. Franco dropped out because of the sexual misconduct allegations against him, and it was handed over to Janicza Bravo (Camping actress, but also a television director (Atlanta, Dear White People) and also married to Brett Gelman!. She also co-wrote the film.

The result is what looks like the most A24 film ever. Basically, The Florida Project crossed with Spring Breakers and maybe a little bit of the End of the Tour. Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braunn, and Colman Domingo star in a movie that Film Twitter — for better or worse — will probably spend the summer talking about (it received a very positive reception out of Sundance last year).

Zola opens on June 30th.