1. Omari Hardwick – ‘American Skin’
Hardwick joins Nate Parker’s written and directed film which follows Lincoln’ Linc’ Jefferson, a U.S. Marine veteran who works as a janitor at a prestigious junior high school. He attempts to mend his relationship with his son after a divorce. One night, during a routine police traffic stop, his son is shot and killed in front of Jefferson. After the officer is cleared of wrongdoing without facing trial, Jefferson takes matters into his own hands in a series of events he hopes will finally lead to justice for his son.
2. Tiffany Haddish – ‘The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent’
Co-starring opposite Nicolas Cage, the comedian and actress will star and play an eccentric rogue government agent named Vivian. According to Deadline, the movie is based on a fictionalized, creatively unfulfilled Cage who, in the face of financial ruin, accepts a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a superfan. When things take a wildly dangerous turn, Vivian will force Cage to go undercover in a last-ditch effort to bring one of the largest criminal organization in Europe down for good.
3. Jordan Peele – Untitled Horror Event
In true Peele fashion, the details of the horror event are under wraps but Universal set the release date for July 22, 2022.
4. Kevin Hart – ‘Man From Toronto’
Sony’s action-comedy will star the comedian and Lela Loren who played Angela Valdes opposite Omari Hardwich in Power. According to Deadline, “The film revolves around a case of mistaken identity after the world’s deadliest assassin, known as the “man from Toronto,” and a stranger, played by Hart, run into each other at an Airbnb. Chaos soon ensues as the assassin’s world comes crashing down on Hart.”
5. Letitia Wright – ‘Surrounded’
Deadline reports that “the film is set five years after the Civil War, where former Buffalo Soldier Moses “Mo” Washington travels west to lay claim on a gold mine bequeathed by her late slaveowner father. It is a mean, dangerous world for an unaccompanied Black woman and so Mo travels into the deep frontier disguised as a man. After her stagecoach is ambushed, she is tasked with holding a dangerous outlaw captive and must survive the day when the bandit’s gang tries to free him.”
6. Daniel Kaluuya – Untitled Barney and Friends Film
In an interview with EW, the English actor said “Barney taught us, ‘I love you, you love me. Won’t you say you love me too?’ That’s one of the first songs I remember, and what happens what that isn’t true? I thought that was really heartbreaking. I have no idea why but it feels like that makes snese. It feels like there’s something unexpected that can be poignant but optimistic. Especially at this time now, I think that’s really, really needed.”
7. Michael B. Jordan – ‘A Journal For Jordan’
The film will be produced and directed by Denzel Washington and is based on Dana Canedy’s best-selling memoir. Chante Adams will star opposite the Creed actor. The film will tell the true story of Canedy’s love affair with First Sergeant Charles Monroe King. While deployed overseas, King kept a journal full of life lessons for their newborn son, Jordan. He was killed in Iraq when Jordan was seven months old but his spirit lives on through his messages.
8. Mahershala Ali – ‘Swan Song’
The Academy Award winner will star in the Apple TV+ original film. Described as a genre-bending drama set in the near future, the movie will explore how far someone will go to make a happier life for the ones they love.
9. Jussie Smollett – ‘B-Boy Blues’
The former Empire actor will make his directorial debut with James Earl Hardy’s 1994 novel which centers around the black LGBTQ+ community. The film explores the love and life of a middle class, politically conscious magazine editor Mitchell Crawford and a Harlem born and bred ruff-neck bike messenger Raheim.
10. Cynthia Erivo – ‘Talent Show’
The Oscar nominee will feature as the failed songwriter who returns home to Chicago to lead a group of at-risk youth in their annual talent show.
11. Regina King – ‘The Harder They Fall’
The all-Black western feature also features Idris Elba, Lakeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz. Outlaw Nat Love discovers the man (Elba) who killed his parents two decades ago is being released from prison. With the help from his former gang, they’ll track him down and seek revenge.
12. Jamie Foxx & John Boyega – ‘They Cloned Tyrone’
Per Deadline, the plot follows a series of eerie events that thrusts an unlikely trio (Boyega, Foxx, and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper.
13. Jill Scott – ‘Mahalia!’
Mahalia! is being executive produced by Jamie Foxx and Queen Latifah. Jill Scott will play the Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson, and speak on how she became one of the wealthiest and most powerful entertainers in the world during a time when gospel music wasn’t mainstream.
14. Queen Latifah – ‘End Of The Road’
Latifah is set to executive produce and star in the Netflix action-thriller produced by Tracey Edmonds (Soul Food, Jumping the Broom). ‘End Of The Road’ follows recently widowed and unemployed Brenda who starts a new life with her family by driving cross country to the New Mexico desert. Far away from help, the family “must learn to fight back when they become the targets of a mysterious killer.”
15. Spike Lee To Direct A Musical on Viagra
Written by Lee and British playwright Kwame Kwei-Armnah, the musical is based on a 2018 Esquire article that tells the story of how Viagra was invented and marketed to some of America’s most powerful institutions.