Black-Led Movies Releasing This Year
Arguable, Black Hollywood is not yet where it is supposed to be in terms of production and revenue. However, the future couldn’t look any brighter. This year’s list of releases has a selection of great movies with Black leads. Additionally, more Black film directors like Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele are now steering movie franchises with massive commercial success.
We are also seeing new and vibrant Black actors taking center stage in big box office features. The critically acclaimed Creed III, which stars and is also directed by Michael B. Jordan, is a primary example. As anticipation builds, here is a list of movies with Black leads slated for release this year. Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid has Disney fans on edge. Of course, the Spiderverse continues to expand with another monumental film. A biopic about George Foreman is also on the horizon. Take a look at our list of movies with Black leads and let us know which one you’re looking forward to.
Big George Foreman (April 28, 2023)
George Tillman Jr. directed this biographical film. Big George Foreman focuses on the life of world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman. Actor Khris Davis from Judas and the Black Messiah movie will also portray the legendary boxer. Further, Davis will be joined in-cast by Jasmine Mathews, John Magaro, Sullivan Jones, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Sonja Sohn, and one of the few black Oscar winners, Forest Whitaker. The plot will focus on George Foreman’s journey of overcoming poverty to become one of the most renowned young boxers in the world.
The film is also set to portray Foreman’s near-death experience that led him to quit boxing. Foreman is then forced to reunite with his former trainer due to financial constraints. He eventually trains to become the oldest boxer in history to win the heavyweight championship.
The Little Mermaid (May 26, 2023)
The Little Mermaid is a live-animated fairytale film by Disney. Disney’s movies with Black leads haven’t, in recent years, faced criticism like The Little Mermaid. The controversy surrounded casting Halle, a Black actress, to play a traditionally white character. Bailey is also one half of the girl group Chloe X Halle. The Little Mermaid is directed by Rob Marshall and the screenplay is written by David Magee. It is also an adaptation of the 1989 animated film of the same name.
Halle will play Ariel, the youngest daughter of the kingdom Atlantica’s ruler King Triton. Ariel falls in love with a human but is forbidden to explore the land above water. Her curiosity for the surface world and her newfound love puts her in danger when she makes a deal with her to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water. Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs are also set to star in the film.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2, 2023)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is an upcoming computer-animated superhero film from Sony Studios in association with Marvel Entertainment. The film is the sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K team up to direct the animation. Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham co-wrote the screenplay.
Shameik Moore voices the lead character, Miles Morales. Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, and Karan Soni also lend their voices to the film. The movie centers on the adventures of Miles and his love interest Gwen Stacy. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is scheduled for release in the United States on June 2, 2023. Sony delayed the film from an initial April 2022 date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the franchise’s third sequel is already scheduled for release on March 29, 2024.
Biosphere (July 7, 2023)
Biosphere is an upcoming buddy comedy film directed by Mel Eslyn. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on September 10, 2022, but is scheduled to be in theaters and on demand from July 7, 2023. Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass play two best friends who find themselves as the last men on earth. Biosphere also holds a 90 percent approval rating based on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
They Cloned Tyrone (July 23, 2023)
They Cloned Tyrone is a science fiction comedy mystery film directed by Juel Taylor. The film is set to premiere in July 2023, on the streaming giant, Netflix. This film will be Juel Taylor’s directorial debut in a full-length feature film. Taylor also co-wrote the screenplay with Tony Rettenmaier. John Boyega also leads alongside Teyonah Parris, Kiefer Sutherland, and Jamie Foxx. Foxx, the film’s producer, has been in the headlines lately because he reportedly suffered a stroke.
Haunted Mansion (July 28 2023)
Haunted Mansion is an upcoming supernatural horror comedy film directed by Justin Simien. Writer Katie Dippold crafted the screenplay for the film. LaKeith Stanfield plays the lead alongside Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and Jared Leto among others. Haunted Mansion is also scheduled to be released in the United States on July 28, 2023, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film follows the ghostly adventures of Gabbie and her nine-year-old son Travis after the two move into a haunted mansion.
The Equalizer 3 (September 1, 2023)
The Equalizer film series is one of the few big-budget Hollywood action movies with Black leads. Denzel Washington is the main man in The Equalizer film series. The first Equalizer movie was released in 2014. The sequel, The Equalizer 2, premiered in 2018. Further, Sony Pictures intends to release the third installment, The Equalizer 3, in September 2023.
Generally, the films are loosely based on a classic TV series of the same name. The TV show aired between 1985 and 1989. The basic plot of The Equalizer action films center around vigilante Robert McCall played by Denzel Washington. Robert primarily saves those close to him with his tactical combat and weapons training. The Equalizer 3 is also set to star Dakota Fanning, Sonia Ben Ammar, and Remo Girone.
The Color Purple (December 25, 2023)
The upcoming movie The Color Purple promises to reinvigorate the stage musical version of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. Director Blitz Bazawule is at the helm of the adaptation project. The film aims to capture the timeless story’s essence while providing fresh insights. The Color Purple is also set against the backdrop of the early 20th century. It follows the journey of Celie, a strong and resilient Black woman who overcomes numerous obstacles to find her own voice and inner strength. Additionally, R&B crooner, Fantasia Barrino, will play the lead role. H.E.R., Ciara, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, and Halle Bailey also make part of the star-studded cast.
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