The 1972 blaxploitation film Super Fly remains one of the most divisive among the African-American community. The original starred Ron O’Neal as Priest Youngblood, a drug dealer looking to get out of the game, but not until he makes a big enough score to retire gracefully. Its glorification of drug dealers has been a bone of contention for some, while others saw it as a realistic view of what it took for black people to stand on their own at the time. I’m not sure how Sony plans to make their remake, now titled Superfly, relevant to today’s standards but they’re putting together a cast that makes me interested to find out.
Mudbound and Straight Outta Compton star Jason Mitchell will lead the film, to be directed by Hype Williams protege Director X. Trevor Jackson of comedies grown-ish and black-ish will co-star as Eddie, with Mitchell starring as Youngblood Priest. The cast also includes ex Scott Davis as Georgia, Andrea Londo as Cynthia, Jacob Ming-Trent as Fat Freddy, and Omar Chapparo as Adalberto.
Between Proud Mary and the upcoming Shaft remake it’s like blaxploitation is in style again, and I can see why. As a response to long-standing criticisms of Hollywood’s lack of diversity, not to mention a certain racist sitting in the Oval Office, we’re seeing black filmmakers revive a genre that produced some of our most iconic screen characters. I’m all for it as long as the movies have something fresh to add. [Deadline]
