An ugly moment in history comes to life Judas and the Black Messiah, the latest from co-writer and director Shaka King.
Fred Hampton was a powerful figure in 1960s America. He was chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party and deputy chairman of the national party, making him one of the prominent members of the organization. That means he put his life on the line for the civil rights movement, and, well, if you know about Christianity, the title of the film tells you how that turns out.
The biopic is a change of pace for King, whose previous feature, Newlyweeds, was a respected stoner dramedy. After kicking around in television for a few years he’s back to features, taking a big swing at an important piece of history.
The weight of this topic rightfully attracted top talent in front of the camera, with Daniel Kaluuya playing Hampton and LaKeith Stanfield starring as the FBI informant/titular Judas. There has been some criticism of Kaluuya, a British actor, being cast as an American civil rights leader, but it’s undeniable that he’s one of the top actors of the day. Co-starring with them is Jesse Plemons, Martin Sheen, and Dominique Fishback.
Hopefully, this film does right by the man it labels a messiah.
Judas and the Black Messiah is directed by Shaka King and stars Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, and Jesse Plemons. It is scheduled to be released sometime in 2021. Keep up to date with its release schedule here.
Will you check this one out when it’s eventually released? Let us know in the comments!
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