Sundance isn’t typically where long-running franchises are born, but in the case of Justin Simien and his breakout comedy Dear White People, that’s exactly what happened. The acclaimed film which took on racism and white privilege during the Obama era became a successful Netflix series, and now after four seasons it’s coming to a close…but definitely isn’t going out quietly.
Following the black Ivy League students at Winchester University, this season takes place during their senior year, but this won’t be just a normal run of episodes. Simien is closing out the show as one big musical event, teased to the sounds of Montell Jordan’s “This is How We Do It”.
The footage also shows that Logan Browning’s activist Samantha White (originally played by Tessa Thompson in the film) is still out there stirring shit up. Also returning for the final season are Brandon P. Bell, Antoinette Robertson, DeRon Horton, John Patrick Amedori, Ashley Blaine Featherson, and Marque Richardson.
Here’s the synopsis: Set against the backdrop of senior year at Winchester as well as a not-so-distant, post-pandemic future, “Dear White People Vol. 4” finds our characters looking back at the most formative (and theatrical) year of their lives. Both an Afro-futuristic and ’90s-inspired musical event, “Dear White People Vol. 4” is a can’t-miss, farewell experience with one pitch-perfect promise: Sometimes the only way to move forward is to throw it back.
Dear White People Vol. 4 hits Netflix on September 22nd. After that, Simien will move on to Lucasfilm’s Lando event series on Disney+, and will direct Disney’s Haunted Mansion film with Tiffany Haddish and LaKeith Stanfield.
