The DIASPORA List is a list of 10 things that are on DIASPORA’s radar for the week.
One.
It’s finally time. Jordan Peele‘s wildly anticipated and enigmatic Nope is in theaters now. Reviews have been… delightfully mixed with intrigue, confusion, frustration and Hitchcockian/Jaws comparisons. But before you go out and watch it, read our interview with the movie’s breakout star Brandon Perea.
MY WORDS! #NopeMovie pic.twitter.com/OrskU8GFwX
— Dino-Ray Ramos (@DinoRay) July 20, 2022
Two.
Also premiering this week is your new favorite comedy Rap Sh!t from Issa Rae and starring the super duper talented Aida Osman and KaMillion. The HBO Max series set in Miami follows two estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite to form a rap group — and it is hot. The series also stars Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell, and RJ Cyler.
The series also has a companion podcast cleverly called Chat Sh!t! Check out the first episode below.
Three.
San Diego Comic-Con is back! And COVID be damned, it’s in person! We predict lots of Marvel news, lots of DC news — basically lots of Hall H stuff that will shock and make the masses squeal delight.
The first Comic-Con piece of news that crossed our radar was the first trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, and Hugh Grant.
Based on the trailer below, this D&D movie feels like it is exactly what it needs to be.
Four.
Speaking of Comic-Con, Preeti Chhibber‘s Spider-Man’s Social Dilemma is set to hit shelves next week on July 26 but you can pre-order now!
This marks the first in a three-book middle grade novel series by Chhibber. The synopsis goes as such: Peter Parker has been swinging and thwipping his way through New York City as Spider-Man for just a few months, and balancing his double life is complicated. He goes to school and tries not to embarrass himself in front of his crush, MJ; he takes photos for the Daily Bugle and tries not to embarrass himself in front of his boss, J. Jonah Jameson; and he fights crime in the evenings and . . . well, he’s kind of always trying to not embarrass himself. Easier said than done when you’re a teen with spider powers you’re still getting used to. On top of all that, the notorious villain the Sandman is acting more strangely than ever, social media seems to be taking a toll on MJ, and someone keeps trying to steal an artifact that’s supposedly powered by alien matter . . . which can’t be good. Something eerie is going on, and Peter is determined to figure out what it is before things go from weird to dangerous. Told with Preeti Chhibber’s incomparable voice, which balances wit and charm with teenage earnestness and vulnerability, this series is full of action-adventure, humor, friendship, and, of course, heroism.
Five.
Billy Porter makes his feature directorial debut with Anything’s Possible with Eva Reign making her feature acting debut as Kelsa, a confident high school girl who is trans, as she navigates through senior year. When her classmate Khal (Abubakr Ali) gets a crush on her, he musters up the courage to ask her out, despite the drama he knows it could cause. The film also stars Tony winning actress Renée Elise Goldsberry.
The film made its world premiere at Outfest in Los Angeles and was written by Ximena García Lecuona whose script was included on the GLAAD List in 2019 as well as the Black List in 2020 — and in case you didn’t know, that is way impressive.
Anything’s Possible is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Six.
The official trailer for Hulu’s Mike dropped and goddamn Trevante Rhodes is incredible.
From creator/screenwriter Steven Rogers and the team behind I, Tonya and showrunner Karin Gist, executive producer of Our Kind of People, The eight-episode limited series explores the dynamic and controversial story of the titular Mike Tyson. It navigates tumultuous ups and downs of Tyson’s boxing career and personal life — from being a beloved global athlete to a pariah and back again. Focusing the lens on Mike Tyson, the series examines class in America, race in America, fame and the power of media, misogyny, the wealth divide, the promise of the American Dream and ultimately our own role in shaping Mike’s story.
Mike also features Russell Hornsby, with guest stars Harvey Keitel, Laura Harrier, Li Eubanks, Olunike Adeliyi, and B.J. Minor. Based on Rogers’ past work and the look of this mind-blowing trailer, I think we are in for a wild treat.
Seven. Producer Dan Lin has launched a BIPOC-focused non-profit accelerator “Rideback Rise” which will help cultivate the next generation of BIPOC creators and entrepreneurs. Eight. The family of groundbreaking artist Frida Kahlo has given the go ahead for a musical based on her life. The musical will feature music by popular Mexican composer Jaime Lozano and lyrics by Obie Award-winning playwright Neena Beber. A first workshop is slated for 2023. Nine. Quinta Brunson‘s game-changing and incredible comedy Abbott Elementary has received a rare full season 22-episode order for its sophomore season. And why shouldn’t it receive 22 episodes? It’s single handedly reviving and reshaping network television. Ten. And finally, if there is one TikTok creator you have to pay attention to, it’s Antonio Baldwin… aka TonyTalks.
