What if superpowers existed, but only for one race? That’s the question that Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3 asked when they began publishing their Black comic book series. The series imagined a world where only Black people could develop extraordinary abilities. Now, Warner Bros. is about to see how well that answer translates to the big screen. Via Deadline, the studio has greenlit a film adaptation of Black.
Bryan Edward Hill, a producer on Titans, has already written a script for the movie. WB is also currently on the lookout for a director. Osajyefo financed the original comic through a Kickstarter campaign. Black Mask Studios eventually released the first issue in 2016. The series provided a thought-provoking commentary on the superhero genre, which has been dominated by white male characters for decades. Given the ongoing conversations about racial inequity in America as well as police violence against people of color, the film adaptation couldn’t come at a better time.
Studio 8’s Jeff Robinov, Guy Danella, and John Graham will produce the film version of Black. They’ll also work alongside producer Matteo Pizzolo and executive producer Brett Gurewitz for Black Mask Studios. Additionally, Osajyefo and Smith will serve as co-producers. Osajyefo also released his own statement to share his enthusiasm for the movie.
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“Part of the inspiration for Black came from my experiencing the lack of representation in comics publishing and how that directly relates to the scarceness of black characters,” said Osajyefo. “For most of comics’ history, white outcasts have been used as allegories for marginalized groups while claiming to reflect the world outside our window. Black strips away this veneer to juxtapose superpowers with race while allowing black people to see ourselves authentically in media and inviting wider audiences into parts of our experience. We’re excited to bring this story to everyone through film, and thankful to Studio 8 for believing in it.”
“We became involved in the development of this story over a year ago,” added Robinov, Studio 8’s CEO. “Black represents a new generation of storytellers and creators who can accurately tell black stories with the type of care the industry has lacked for decades. The thought-provoking concept caught our attention early on, and we’re proud to play a role in bringing this story to the screen.”
Are you excited to see Black Mask Studios’ Black comic hit the big screen? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: BLACK Volume 1
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