Why are there so many highly-regarded Black-cast flicks all of the sudden?

[Professor Emeritus]

I just saw another year-end best films list and noticed multiple films with mostly Black casts. Again. I'm almost expecting it now.

And then the Us preview is popping at the same time.

If Beale Street Could Talk, Black Panther, Widows, Black KKKlansman all got huge props this year. Get Out, Fences, Moonlight, Straight Outta Compton, The Birth of a Nation, Dope, Creed, Selma all had critical acclaim or major box office success or both, and all just came out in the last 2-3 years before that.

Has this surge in quality Black films that get real attention been as new and as big as it feels to me? And why right now?

I put multiple options into the poll in case ya'all want to attribute more than one factor.

 

[Rekkapryde]

More opportunity, social media cysing, and Tyler Perry ( get mad )

 

[Ya' Cousin Cleon]

I wanna say 60% is the first two and 40% of it being Hollywood noticing the trend and demand

which isn’t always a bad thing

 

[Piffiztheanswer]

Black panther came n crushed the buildings

 

[Bigbigguy]

They make money

 

[Neuromancer]

They make money

This.

 

[TheGodling]

They make money

Pretty much, but more importantly, back in the day when black-made films made money (think of The Best Man and Friday), they were still being considered niche films for niche (read: racial) audiences. Nowadays that racial stigma seems to be gone (see also the success of Crazy Rich Asians) and Hollywood is quicker to back films with non-white audiences.

Part of this also has to do with the market saturation of blockbuster films. With so many studios betting so big on tentpole films in an overcrowded market (look at how Bumblebee got buried just because of all the competition it had to deal with), films like these have become the safe bet alternative for studios since the former "niche" audience is finally understood to be a loyal audience that will go out and support these films.

Last but not least, when it comes to blockbusters we see the PC police era is playing a big role in forcing diversity onto studios. Blockbusters about female heroes (Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel) were pushed to be directed by females, movies about trans people get criticized for not using trans actors, etc. This same climate made it so a Marvel Studios for instance didn't have any choice but to go for a black director for Black Panther, whereas maybe ten years ago a studio could and would have picked whichever white guy they wanted.

 

[Yade]

Anyone else getting tired of seeing Lupita in all these movies

Like give another person a chance to shine

 

[Bigbigguy]

Anyone else getting tired of seeing Lupita in all these movies

Like give another person a chance to shine

Let Lupita eat if anything its Tessa Thompson that's everywhere

 

[obarth]

Anyone else getting tired of seeing Lupita in all these movies

Like give another person a chance to shine

No, I'm not getting tired of seeing a black person be successful and gainfully employed
With that said, she was in the last Star Wars movie, voice only, and she was in Black Panther. Her last movie before that was 2016....so what is it you're really getting tired of seeing?

 

[BXKingPin82]

Anyone else getting tired of seeing Lupita in all these movies

Like give another person a chance to shine

:saywhatakeem:

 

[Sunalmighty]

lot of black talent out there. and im not talking about that c00n shyt. lot of strong young black actors and GREAT writers and directors.

 

[WakandanPride]

That Oscar so White thing made it noticeable.

 

[Tommy Knocks]

That Oscar so White thing made it noticeable.

Yep. Came in to say this

Plus they noticed the demand and box offices are doing good. Now they're finally open to more ideas.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Personally, I'm leaning towards the second option.

I really do think the films are better, I don't know of any other era that had Black cast/directed/written flicks of this quality.

I don't think it could be all talent development, because some of these guys are hitting home runs in their first at-bat. Ryan Coogler was just another USC film school grad before Fruitvale Station. What did Barry Jenkins do before writing If Beale Street Could Talk and Moonlight? Was Jordan Peele's sketch comedy career really something special to prepare him to make Get Out?

I think the talent was already there, it's just now they're finally getting the green light. Interesting to imagine how the career of guys like Charles Burnett might have gone differently if they had a free hand with a real budget.