To be honest, we weren’t sure what to expect when Freeform announced that it was getting into the superhero TV series game with an adaptation of the cult classic Marvel series Cloak And Dagger. Now that we’ve seen the first trailer, though, it’s clear that the network is aiming for a teenage superhero series far more focused on real-world drama and desperation than musical numbers and fighting CGI baddies with colorful names.
Starring Aubrey Joseph as Tyrone “Cloak” Johnson and Olivia Holt as Tandy “Dagger” Bowen, the trailer sees the star-crossed pair navigating the dangerous terrain of being a young black man and a young woman in modern-day America, even before drug-inflicted superpowers come into the mix. Touching on topics like police violence and attempted rape, it’s a dark, moody trailer, the grimmest entry we’ve seen from Marvel TV to date. That being said, there are a few flashes of light, mostly in the chemistry between Joseph and Holt, who look like they’re game to capture the necessary “You’re the only person on Earth who gets me” vibe that’s powered the hunted duo’s comic appearances for going on 30 years.