Status: In Development
Release Date: TBA
Genre: Biography
Studio(s): New Line, Offspring Entertainment
Director: Nzingha Stewart
Cast: TBA
Details: Biopic about Misty Copeland, the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. The screenplay is based on Copeland’s bestselling novel which chronicles her humble beginnings in San Pedro, CA and her ascension to the pinnacle of ballet. Source: Deadline. Image Source: Seventeen.
Status: Script
Release Date: TBA
Genre: Biography
Studio(s): Unburdened Entertainment, SB Projects
Director: Chinonye Chukwu
Cast: TBA
Details: Filmmaker Chinonye Chukwu will direct the upcoming film adaptation of Elaine Brown’s memoir, A Taste of Power: A Black Woman’s Story. Elaine Brown is the first and only female leader of the Black Panther party from 1974 – 1977, this after Huey Newton was exiled to Cuba. She led the Panther party through turbulent times in Oakland to political success in the city, while fending off threats from local police, the FBI, and disaffected party members. Source(s): Colorlines.com; Deadline.
Release Date: 4/20/19; MTV
Genre: Comedy
Rating: NR
Director: Bruce Leddy
Studio(s): Universal 1440 Entertainment, Smith-Garr Productions, Music Television (MTV).
Running Time: Unknown
Cast: Mike Epps, Lil Yachty, D.C. Young Fly, Alyssa Goss, DeRay Davis, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Blac Youngsta, NeNe Leakes, Cynthia Bailey, Lil Baby, and Justine Skye.
Story: Follow-up to the 2001 film, chronicles two young “potrepreneurs” on a magical hash-fueled journey to fund their on-demand munchies delivery start-up. Sources: Deadline; Movieweb.
Trailer:
a/k/a Central Park Five
Release Date: 5/31/19; Limited Series – Netflix
Genre: Drama
Rating: NR
Director: Ava DuVernay
Studio(s): Forward Movement, Harpo Films, Participant Media, Tribeca Productions, Netflix.
Cast: Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Justin Cunningham, Freddy Miyares, Jharrel Jerome, Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Blair Underwood, Chris Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Omar J. Dorsey, Famke Janssen, Aurora Perrineau, William Sadler, Aunjanue Ellis, Kylie Bunbury.
Story: Four-part limited series about the Central Park Five, a group of teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise — who 30 years ago were wrongly convicted of rape. The series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014.
Ava DuVernay, who created and directed the film, said in a statement, “In 1989, five black and brown teen boys were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit and branded The Central Park Five, a moniker that has followed them since that time. In 2019, our series gives the five men a platform to finally raise their voices and tell their full stories. In doing so, Korey, Antron, Raymond, Kevin and Yusef also tell the story of many young people of color unjustly ensnared in the criminal justice system. Sources: TV Line; Coming Soon.
Trailer:
Release Date: 6/29/19; TV One
Genre: Drama/Biography
Rating: NR
Director: Russ Parr
Studio(s): Swirl Films, TV One
Running Time: Unknown
Story: The movie explores the tumultuous life of the former lead singer of 70’s R&B/funk band Switch, also the eldest sibling of the world-famous pop group DeBarge. Despite his success in music, the iconic falsetto found his life in peril as he struggled with fame and fortune while coping with the memories of his dysfunctional childhood. Bobby, born in 1956 Detroit to Etterlene and Army soldier Robert DeBarge, Sr., the latter whom he says was abusive, was introduced to heroin at the age of 15. Heroin would soon become his lifelong addiction. After his parents divorced and Etterlene and the children moved to Grand Rapids, Bobby, a talented musician and vocalist, began playing in local bands along with his younger brother Tommy. In 1976, Bobby DeBarge, along with Tommy DeBarge, Phillip Ingram, Jody Sims, Eddie Fluellen, MC Clark and Arnett Hayes, formed the group Switch and a year after signing to Motown, they dropped their debut album. In the late 80’s Bobby joined his younger siblings’ group, DeBarge but his personal problems, drug use and legal troubles caused major issues both internally and within the group. After contracting HIV in the 1980s Bobby died of AIDS complications in 1995.
The film’s stars include Roshon Fegan in the lead role as Bobby DeBarge, Tyra Ferrell as Etterlene DeBarge, and Adrian Marcel as James DeBarge. Big Boi portrays legendary music mogul Berry Gordy, while Lloyd appears as Switch member Gregory Williams. Sources: Official Site, TV One.com; Global Grind; The Philadelphia Tribune.
Teaser:
Release Date: 1/17/2020; In Theaters
Genre: Drama/Biography
Rating: PG-13
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Studio(s): Netter Productions, Warner Bros.
Running Time: Unknown
Cast: Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson; Jamie Foxx as Walter McMillian; Brie Larson as Eva Ansley; O’Shea Jackson, Jr. as Anthony Ray Hinton; Tim Blake Nelson as Ralph Myers; Rob Morgan as Herbert Richardson.
Story: A powerful and thought-provoking true story, Just Mercy follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan might have had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson). One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds and the system stacked against them. Source: Rotten Tomatoes. Photo Source: indiewire.
Trailer:
Black Cinema Connection 