Official Trailer for ‘The American Society of Magical Negroes’ Comedy
by Alex Billington
December 15, 2023
Source: YouTube
“It’s like being a secret agent with none of the danger.” Focus Features has revealed the first official trailer for a clever new fantasy comedy called The American Society of Magical Negroes, which also marks the feature directorial debut of actor / comedian Kobi Libii. This is premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January as one of the key films in the Premieres section. For centuries, there has been a society hidden in plain sight, working in secret to protect Black people from harm. It’s called “The American Society of Magical Negroes.” An intelligent young man, Aren, is recruited into this secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people’s lives easier. Starring Justice Smith, David Alan Grier, Drew Tarver, Rupert Friend, Nicole Byer, and An-Li Bogan as Lucy. Sundance says that this “is a must-see satire about what it means for Black people to protect and care for ourselves and each other. Libii’s auspicious debut is destined to find its place in the cinematic canon of essential films about American culture.” Yes I’m definitely in – it looks like it’s going to be funny and sweet.
Here’s the first trailer for Kobi Libii’s The American Society of Magical Negroes, from YouTube:
Via Sundance: “A young man, Aren, is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people’s lives easier. If The Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith is proclaimed ‘the greatest picture ever made,’ then the ‘Magical Negro’ — a Black supporting character who exists solely to serve a white protagonist’s storyline — has been a stock character trope since the inception of American cinema. Debut director Kobi Libii engages this trope in this clever and delightful fairytale-like romantic comedy film about the coming of age of a young Black man who is propositioned to become a real-life Magical Negro upon narrowly escaping death after a string of racial microaggressions get out of hand.” The American Society of Magical Negroes is both written and directed by comedian / actor / filmmaker Kobi Libii, making his feature directorial debut. Produced by Julia Lebedev, Kobi Libii, Angel Lopez, Eddie Vaisman. This is premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January. Focus will then release The American Society of Magical Negroes in theaters starting March 22nd, 2024. Looking good?
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