Judas and the Black Messiah is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of 2021 so far and is one of the most nominated films at the 2021 Academy Awards. After a combined theatrical and HBO Max release, Warner Bros. has announced the digital and physical release for Judas and the Black Messiah.
Judas and the Black Messiah follows Lakeith Stanfield as William O’Neal, an FBI informant who infiltrates the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party. O’Neal grows close to the chapter’s leader, Fred Hampton - played Daniel Kaluuya - while also rising in the ranks of the Black Panther Party. As O’Neal gets deeper into the party, he has to reckon with the mounting pressure from the FBI and his own attachments to Hampton and the group.
In addition to Stanfield and Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah also stars Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad) as Roy Mitchell, O’Neal’s FBI handler, Dominique Fishback (The Deuce) as Deborah Johnson, Hampton’s girlfriend, and Black Panther member, in addition to Ashton Sanders (Moonlight), Darrell Britt-Gibson (You’re the Worst), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) and Martin Sheen.
Judas and the Black Messiah is nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Original Song for “Fight for You” from H.E.R., Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay and both Kaluuya and Stanfield are nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Kaluuya recently won Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture at the Golden Globe Awards and was also nominated for Best Original Song, also for “Fight for You.”
Judas and the Black Messiah will be available to rent digitally on April 2 - plenty of time for Academy members to watch the film before voting. Judas and the Black Messiah will also be available to own digitally on April 27, and will receive its Blu-ray release on May 4.