#black-cinema

#black-cinema

That film is The Woman King. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and featuring a stacked cast led by Viola Davis, it's one of the decade's best historical epics. It's also one of the most slept-on blockbusters of the 2020s, but now that it's headed to HBO Max, it's high time it gets a second look. The Woman King's subject matter alone makes it unlike anything we've seen before. It's a mainstream blockbuster in the vein of Gladiator or The Northman, but made by Black women for Black women.

Black women don't have long careers within the film industry; many beloved works by Black female directors, like Drylongso, remain singular, not followed by further films.

Coogler noted the importance of chemistry, recalling his experience as a wide receiver: "It gave me a real appreciation for how important chemistry is when you can find it."