Just a few years ago, there were only a hand full of children's films with a Black protagonist but with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement doors are opening to more opportunities. I was always frustrated that it was easier to find a purple, green or orange character in children's films and literature than a Black child. Today new projects are being developed to fill that gap. All children need to see themselves reflected in the books they read and in the movies they see. They need to identify with the characters and heroes, and know that their stories are important. Hopefully, these new projects will amplify the dignity and diversity of African American culture. Here is a few samplings of new animation and live action projects that are expected in the future.
Kerry Washington will be executive producing an original movie based on the book by Janae Marks, 'From The Desk Of Zoe Washington.' The Scandal star is working with Disney Branded Television to develop an original movie based on Janae Marks’ critically acclaimed book of the same name. Like the award-winning novel, the film will center on middle-schooler and aspiring pastry chef Zoe, a young girl who makes a connection with her incarcerated father. After he proclaims his innocence, Zoe “begins to learn about systemic racism” and works to “set her biological father free.” “Marks’ book does a beautiful job of delicately weaving together the challenges and triumphs of life and the enormity of social injustice and systemic racism through the lens of an almost-seventh grader,” said Ayo Davis, executive vice president, Creative Development and Strategy, Disney Branded Television. “This is a perfect example of the type of premium storytelling that will not only entertain but will touch our audience on many levels as they see these topical issues reflected on the screen.”
Netflix has commissioned Karma's World, a new animated musical series from rapper Chris “Ludacris" Bridges. Aimed at children ages 6-9, the series is about a young Black girl finding her voice and using it to change the world. Originally inspired by Bridges' oldest daughter, Karma, it is based on the interactive educational website of the same name created by Karma’s World Entertainment in 2009. Karma’s World follows 10-year-old Karma Grant, an aspiring musical artist and rapper with big talent and an even bigger heart. Smart, resilient, and deeply empathetic, Karma pours her soul into songwriting, channeling her feelings into whip-smart rhymes with passion, courage and her signature brand of humor. In this series, Karma is only beginning to grasp the incredible emotional power that words and music can have. She doesn’t just want to share her music with the world...she wants to change the world with it. The series will feature original songs "which tackle issues such as self-esteem, body positivity, discrimination, creativity, expressing emotions, friendship, family, leadership, celebrating differences and more." Ludacris is the creator, and executive produces the project.
Netflix Family has released the trailer for their new animated preschool television series Ada Twist, Scientist. Based on the children’s book Ada Twist, Scientist written by Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts. This new series getting the all-star treatment is created by Chris Nee of Doc McStuffins, and produced by Higher Ground Productions, owned by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. The series was recently renewed for a second season!
New Disney Junior series, Eureka, is set to debut later this year. Starring Ruth Righi, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lil Rel Howery and Javier Muñoz, Eureka! tells the story of a young girl inventor who is way ahead of her time. Utilizing creative out-of-the-box thinking, she designs inventions and contraptions in the hopes of making the world a better place and moving her prehistoric community into a more modern era. With the help of her supportive parents, teacher, best friends—Pepper and Barry—and beloved pet mammoth Murphy, Eureka is learning to embrace that she is not ordinary … she’s extraordinary.
The Ironheart series at Disney Plus has tapped Chinaka Hodge to serve as head writer. She is a screenwriter, poet, playwright, and educator. Her past television writing credits include the Apple reboot of “Amazing Stories,” as well as the TNT series adaptation of “Snowpiercer” starring Daveed Diggs. She is also a founding member of the hip hop collective The Getback along with Daveed Diggs and others.
Ironheart will star Dominique Thorne as Marvel character Riri Williams, a genius inventor and the creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man. Riri Williams was first introduced in the Marvel comics in 2016, the creation of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato. In the comics, she is a 15-year-old MIT student who reverse engineers Iron Man’s armor in order to create armor of her own. Iron Man, a.k.a. Tony Stark, eventually took notice and gave her his encouragement to pursue the life of a superhero.
Netflix is turning Sulwe, the bestselling children’s book by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, into an animated musical, the latest move by the streamer to bolster its feature animation slate. Sulwe, written by Nyong’o with illustrations by Vashti Harrison, follows Sulwe, a child who has skin darker than anyone she knows. “Sulwe was born the color of midnight,” the book begins and all she wants is to be beautiful and bright. One night, she is visited by a shooting star sent by the Night and embarks on a magical journey where she learns the eye-opening story of the sisters Night and Day. The book tells a story about colorism, self-esteem and learning that true beauty comes from within.
Kalia Love Jones inspired by a speech from former first lady Michelle Obama, created and directed a short film, The Power of Hope which was nominated for a NAACP Image Award. Now at fourteen years old, she is inspiring young people to follow their dreams. Jones’ animated film is about an ambitious young woman who was at the verge of giving up on her dreams because her mother was ill, however, the words of Michelle Obama was her motivation to keep going for gold. She won the Youth Visionary Award at the Pan African Film Festival and the Outstanding Achievement Award for Best Female Young Filmmaker at the Indie Short Fest.
Jones funded the majority of the production by herself. She worked odd jobs, recycled for family and friends, and saved her earnings to produce her film. “I started with the idea, writing the story and creating the characters,” Jones said, adding that she used some of her favorite women leaders as inspiration for the story. “There’s a lot, but I think some of my favorites would be women who work in the film industry, like Rebecca Sugar, Ava DuVernay or Oprah, because I want to be one of those women (someday).”
The greatest lesson Jones wants to share with the world is that we are all capable of achieving greatness once we believe in ourselves. She wants to impact the world positively and hopes the film inspires young people to face all adversities headstrong as they pursue their dreams.
See the film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrRL6yFdSpg
Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters marks a major milestone in Nollywood by becoming the first animated feature film in Nigeria. The plot follows the story of a precocious, adventurous little girl called Bukky who enjoys solving math and logic problems with her father but finds herself in a wildly unfamiliar territory. There she encounters a band of highly unusual characters who change the course of her life. Using a distinct and striking style of animation, little Bucky stands out as a lovable and attractive character. This children fantasy film is conceived by Blessing Amidu and directed by Adebisi Adetayo. Celebrated as Nigeria's first feature animation, Netflix is now negotiating to distribute it in the states.
Super Sema follows the adventures of an extraordinary young girl Sema and her twin brother MB on their mission to protect their African town of Dunia from the villainous Tobor. Sema knows that with determination, creativity, and a helping hand from the amazing world of science and technology, anything is possible! From their Secret Lab, they code world-changing apps, create energy from waste, engineer solutions for their community, develop virtual worlds, and might even launch a space rocket, but be home in time to print 3D pizzas!
Sema is a 10-year-old African girl with an extraordinary ability to change the world! She uses her imagination, technology and a heavy dose of determination to save the day and protect her community from the evil Tobor. On her adventures, you can catch Sema making fun inventions in her Secret Lab with her twin brother MB. Created by Kukua from South Africa. episodes of this series can be viewed on You Tube visit their website for more information https://www.supersema.com/characters/
According to Entertainment Weekly, Matthew A. Cherry's beloved 2019 Oscar-award-winning short film Hair Love is officially becoming a 2D animated series on HBO Max called Young Love! Based on the bestselling children's book of the same name, Hair Love beautifully illustrates the relationship between a little girl named Zuri and her dad, and was created by Cherry to normalize Black hair. The short resonated with people everywhere, especially fathers who found themselves in similar situations."
The new show “will focus on millennial parents Stephen and Angela, daughter Zuri, and pet Rocky as they juggle their careers, marriage, parenthood, social issues, and multigenerational dynamics all while striving to make a better life for themselves.” Cherry, a former NFL player turned director and the author of Hair Love, is thrilled that HBO ordered 12 episodes of the show. A release date has not been set.
Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Pan-African entertainment company Kugali revealed their partnership on the Sci-Fi Series Iwaju at the Annecy Animation Festival. The new series is set in a futuristic version of Lagos, Nigeria, During the presentation, the show’s creators revealed a sneak peek at their futuristic vision of Lagos, a sprawling mega-city that straddles a lagoon and is divided into a densely populated mainland and a more affluent island. “That physical separation…means that we have a very unique set-up for storytelling already built into the DNA of the real-life Lagos,” said Kugali co-founder and Iwájú cultural consultant Tolu Olowofoyeku. Writer-director and co-founder Ziki Nelson said the creative team was “building a futuristic world rooted in the contemporary setting.”
Though details of the storyline and its main characters are still under wraps, Nelson said the plot would focus on the inequality that is a “feature of everyday life in Nigeria,” as well as “challenging the status quo.” “It’s really about that inspiration, or aspiration and desire, to try and engineer society in a more positive way." Inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures, the 10-part anthology is an action-packed collection of sci-fi and fantasy stories that will present bold visions of advanced technology, aliens, spirits and monsters imagined from uniquely African perspectives. Oscar-winning director Peter Ramsey (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”) will serve as executive producer.
Disney+ has announced the upcoming anthology series, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire. It is a collection of 10 original, animated films helmed by creators from Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt. This animated anthology "brings together a new wave of animation stars to take you on a wildly entertaining ride into Africa’s future. Inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures, these action-packed sci-fi and fantasy stories present bold visions of advanced technology, aliens, spirits and monsters imagined from uniquely African perspectives." The films will premiere in late 2022 on Disney+.
Marsai Martin of “Blackish” and her production company, Genius Entertainment have received the greenlight from Disney Channel to produce the pilot, Saturdays, a comedy about a young girl and her competitive roller skating crew. Saturdays follows Paris, who has been honing her skills on the cool parquet floor of Saturdays, a local skating rink owned and operated by a former ’90s hip-hop back-up dancer. With its neon lights, galaxy-painted rink and killer D.J. spinning the latest music, Saturdays is the place to show and prove. Paris is the leader of a skate crew and is determined to take them all the way to the top. However, she has sickle cell disease, and when it flares up, it’ll take every ounce of determination to prove the doubters wrong, including her concerned family.
The Wonder Years is an American coming-of-age comedy television series inspired by the 1988 series of the same name. It is set in the late 1960s and takes a nostalgic look at the Williams family, Black middle-class residents of Montgomery, Alabama, through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean. Elisha "EJ" Williams stars as Dean Williams, and Don Cheadle lends his voice as the narrator for the series as the adult counterpart of Dean. Dulé Hill stars as Bill Williams, Dean's father. The series premiered on ABC Television's 2021–22 season.
That Girl Lay Lay is a new comedy television series created for Nickelodeon staring video artist Alaya High, who is otherwise known as Lay Lay. She plays an artificially intelligent phone avatar that comes to life in the form of a human teen girl. Gabrielle Nevaeh Green stars as Sadie a young teen who is struggling to adjust to school and needing a best friend to talk to. Sadie wishes that Lay Lay, an artificially intelligent avatar from a personal affirmation app, were real and could help teach her how to stand out. When her wish comes true and Lay Lay is magically brought to life, they navigate life as teenagers and discover who they truly are, all while trying to keep Lay Lay's identity hidden.
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