Comedy Central original short The Blackening will become a feature directed by Tim Story (Tom & Jerry). Dewayne Perkins, who wrote the original short, is back to co-write the script about a group of Black friends who have to decide which one of them is the “blackest” in order to survive the attack of a vicious killer.
The Blackening tells the story of a group of Black people who get hunted down by a psycho killer in the woods after they decide to go camping. The short makes fun of some of the clichês of horror movies, such as the Black character always being the first to die. In the short, however, since the entire group of victims is Black, the killer gets confused and can’t choose who must die first. To solve his conundrum, the killer tells the group he’ll let everyone live if they turn in the Blackest among them. And so every person in the group tries to convince the other they are not Black by listing all the racial stereotypes that don’t apply to them.
Perkins wrote The Blackening digital short for the Chicago improv group 3-PEAT, where he was a member. 3-PEAT’s other members include Chris Redd, John Thibodeaux, Shantira Jackson, Lisa Beasley, Nnamdi Ngwe, Patrick Rowland, Allison Blair, and Torian Miller. Perkins is the only member of 3-PEAT who’s coming back as part of the cast of the film adaptation.
The Blackening's cast also includes Grace Byers (Harlem, Empire), Jermaine Fowler (Coming 2 America, Judas and the Black Messiah), Melvin Gregg (Nine Perfect Strangers, The United States vs. Billie Holiday), Jay Pharoah (SNL, Resort to Love), Yvonne Orji (Insecure, Vacation Friends), Antoinette Robertson (Dear White People), X Mayo (The Good Doctor, The Farewell), and Sinqua Walls (Resort to Love, American Soul).
Perkins wrote the feature film adaptation alongside Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip, First Wives Club). In addition to directing the film, Story will also produce via his The Story Company banner alongside Oliver’s Tracy Yvonne Productions and E. Brian Dobbins of Artists First. Jason Clark and Marcie Brown will also produce for Catchlight Studios.
There’s still no release date for The Blackening film adaptation. However, since principal photography was recently wrapped in Los Angeles, it shouldn’t take long for us to get a first look at the movie. For now, you can check out the original Comedy Central short below.