Motion Picture: New ‘Candyman’ Trailer Drops In Preparation For Release, Hong Kong’s Latest Film Censorship Policies Cause Concern
Action: Actor Colman Domingo sees the “true face of fear” in the most recent Candyman trailer, remarking that “Candyman ain’t a he. Candyman’s the whole damn hive.” Described by producer Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) as a “spiritual sequel” to Bernard Rose’s 1992 horror classic of the same name, Candyman continues the reign of the vengeful urban legend in its now-gentrified Chicago neighborhood. Yahya Abdul Mateen II leads the film as a studio artist that becomes obsessed with the local legend, inviting others to “say his name.” Forbidding any further delays (hopefully), Candyman is set to finally hit theaters Aug 27, 2021.
Zoë Kravitz is making her directorial debut with the eye-catching thriller Pussy Island, with MGM acquiring worldwide distribution rights. Starring Master of None actress Naomi Ackie in the lead role, Pussy Island follows a quick-witted cocktail waitress (Ackie) on a mission to scheme her way into a dashing philanthropist’s (played by Channing Tatum) heart, but when she’s invited to his private island realizes something frightening lurks just below the surface. Kravitz, Bruce Cohen, Tiffany Persons, and Tatum’s Free Association company will produce Pussy Island with release to be announced at a later date.
A new trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings just dropped, revealing exactly what makes the ten rings so important. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi follows Simu Liu as the titular character who must confront a long-abandoned past once he is drawn deep into the Ten Rings organization. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has made waves not only by introducing the traditional martial-arts generic style to Marvel Phase 4 but is also the first Asian superhero to lead their own Hollywood movie. Shang-Chi opens in theaters Sept 3, 2021.
Documentary: Sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide rights to Emily and Sarah Kunstler’s documentary Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America after winning an audience award at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. Written by Jeffery Robinson, a civil rights and criminal defense lawyer, the film documents Robinson’s efforts to draw a comprehensive timeline of anti-Black racism in America from slavery up to the current “mythical post-racial America.” Who We Are is produced by Robinson, Emily and Sara Kunstler, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Andrea Crabtree, Vanessa Hope, Susan Korda, Katharine Nephew, and Jayashri Wyatt, with Ted Hope serving as executive producer. The doc is set for release on Jan 14, 2022.
Academy of motion pitctures arts and sciences
Industry Update: Don Cheadle has added his name to the list of stars funding The Roybal School of Film and Television Production, a specialized Los Angeles high school for the goal of creating a “pipeline of diverse, career-ready young people” ideal for below-the-line-roles. Created in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the school will be housed in the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center with the founding members serving on the school’s Advisory Board. LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner stated that the school “will help open the doors of opportunity for a diverse group of students from underserved communities.” The Roybal School of Film and Television Production will open its doors in Fall 2022.
Samuel L. Jackson, Danny Glover, and Elaine May, and Live Ullman will receive Honorary Oscars awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors, with Glover additionally receiving the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his extensive work with UNICEF. The Academy has awarded Honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards since 2009 to both fully recognize the honorees while also shortening the annual Oscars ceremony. The Honorary Awards will be presented at the 12th annual Governors Awards on Jan 15, 2022, in LA.
Riz Ahmed recently tweeted an infographic he described as “a blueprint for wider Muslim Inclusion” with the hashtag #MuslimVisibilityChallenge. This infographic guide is an extension of Ahmed’s collaboration with the Pillars Fund, Ford Foundation, and USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, having published the USC study Missing & Maligned: The Reality of Muslims in Popular Global Movies earlier this month. This study highlighted the lack of diversity in Muslim-speaking characters portrayed in popular films. To pair with Ahmed’s #MuslimVisibilityChallenge, Pillars has created The Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion to provide industry professionals with solutions in regard to uplifting Muslim stories and exposure.
Africa’s largest publisher of independent comic books, Nigeria’s Comic Republic, has recently signed a production deal with JackieBoy Entertainment and Emagine Content to adapt its portfolio of African superheroes for film and television. A recent statement from the company cited the goal of this venture is to “portray a positive global influence of Africa and negate previous misconceptions.” The majority of properties within the Comic Republic are shaped around African folklore, traditional mythology, and culture, with Ireti, about an African female superhero, to be the first project in the works for this collaboration.
A documentary project based on Chris Fenton’s 2020 book Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, & American Business has created a concerning buzz within the industry as major players refuse to even entertain the idea of picking up the project, HBO and Netflix among the most notable. Described as “a character-driven essay film exploring how the United States and Western countries helped to build an ultra-powerful rival with an increasingly totalitarian agenda,” it’s easy to see why; with the relationship between Hollywood and China on the decline, and the recent Hong Kong policy banning films which serve as “a threat to national security,” western players are walking on eggshells. With Feeding the Dragon stuck in the middle of this unfortunate timing of events, UTA will continue to shop the project to distributors outside of the global sphere.
F9’s Nathalie Emmanuel recently opened up to Essence with her view on why actors of color from the U.K. are moving to American screens. “The British industry hasn’t always embraced us, and I think so many Black and mixed people like myself have come out to America because the opportunities just weren’t here for us,” stated Emmanuel. While acknowledging that people of color coming up in Hollywood have challenges of their own, Emmanuel believes that “the U.S. has so much more opportunity for people of all kinds of backgrounds, and all kinds of like people,” citing the vastness of the American entertainment industry.
The board of governors at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is now made up of 31 women and 23 men as a result of this past week’s election, marking a first-ever female majority of the voting board in Academy history. Additionally, the representation of people of color within the voting board has increased to record levels as well, rising from 12 to 15. Following up on a vow in 2016 to increase the representation of women and people of color within the Academy by 2020, the organization currently boasts a one-third female membership and 19% of members encompassing “underrepresented minorities.”
