Have you ever heard of the movie trope of the “magical Negro” character? An example would be Will Smith in The Legend of Bagger Vance or Michael Clarke Duncan in The Green Mile. They are Black supporting characters, always unnaturally good and pure, who come to the aid of white protagonists and impart valuable lessons. Well, that trope gets parodied in a fun way in The American Society of Magical Negroes, which is sure to be one of the biggest titles debuting at Sundance next month.
Writer-director Kobi Libii’s film stars Justice Smith as a young man who is recruited into a secret group of magical Black people whose lives are dedicated to the sole purpose of making white lives better. And that becomes all the more important when you’re Black and living in a world of extreme white fragility.
As one character played by David Alan Grier says, “What’s the most dangerous animal in the world? White people when they feel uncomfortable.”
Also in the cast are An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, Michaela Watkins, Aisha Hinds, Tim Baltz, Rupert Friend, and Nicole Byer.
Here’s the official synopsis: THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES is a fresh, satirical comedy about a young man, Aren, who 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.
Focus Features will release The American Society of Magical Negroes into theaters on March 22nd 2024, following its world premiere at Sundance in January.