Studio 8 is teaming with indie comic book publisher Black Mask Studios to bring another superhero adaptation to the big screen. Comic book creators Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith 3, Jamal Igle and Khary Randolph will collaborate with filmmaker Seith Mann (Dexter, Elementary) for an adaptation of the comic book series, Black.
Black debuted in 2016, and its pages revolve around the concept of superpowers being real, but the only people that have them are black. The first chapter of the timely series focuses on a young black man named Kareem Jenkins, who discovers his powers after being shot by the police.
The series quickly became a hit for Black Mask, who released the follow-up series entitled Black AF: America’s Sweetheart. In this one, a young woman by the name of Eli Franklin works to become the world’s first superhero in an attempt to bring America closer together and bridge racial divides.
Both releases are looking to be adapted for feature-length films with the idea of creating an interconnected universe of Black-related films. Osajyefo and Smith, who created the property, will co-produce the movie adaptation, with Mann helming the film.
As superhero movies begin to veer away from tradition and into more interesting paths, as proven by the overwhelming successes of projects previously thought to be too risky, such as Deadpool and Black Panther, these are the kind of exciting projects that should be getting greenlit.
Black is clearly a timely series, and with a group of hungry, talented creators – with most adapting their own original work – developing the film(s), this could be a part of the new wave of smarter, subversive superhero films.
If you want to catch up on the comic series before they become films, Black and Black AF: America’s Sweetheart are available, while Black AF: Widows and Orphans, a new series from Osajyefo and Smith, launches this week.
#Peace.Love.Black
