In the ever-evolving landscape of cinema, 2024 promises a captivating array of films helmed by talented Black directors. This curated list showcases films that not only reflect the diversity of storytelling but also underscore the significant contributions of Black directors to the industry. From thought-provoking dramas to exhilarating adventures, each film encapsulates a unique narrative perspective, illuminating the rich tapestry of Black storytelling in Hollywood. Join us on a cinematic journey as we celebrate the artistic brilliance and cultural impact of these groundbreaking movies set to shape the cinematic landscape in 2024.
READ: 40+ Movies Released in 2023 by Black and Brown Directors to Watch Now
Check back as we’ll update this as new movies are released.
She Taught Love
Frank Cooper, an actor spiralling with distractions, meets Mali Waters, a sports agent living for the present. Drawn together at the worst possible moment, as Mali faces her mortality, they must learn to love and live in the moment.
Director: Nate Edwards
Writer: Darrell Britt-Gibson
Cast: Darrell Britt-Gibson, Arsema Thomas, D’Arcy Carden, Kevin Carroll, Alexander Hodge, Taissa Farmiga, Edwin Lee, Natasha Marc
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
Three best friends who call themselves “The Supremes” have experienced life together through the good and bad, and are now finding their friendship tested.
Director: Tina Mabry
Writer: Cee Marcellus, Tina Mabry based on “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” by Edward Kelsey Moore
Cast: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, Uzo Aduba, Mekhi Phifer, Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Russell Hornsby, Kyanna Simone, Tati Gabrielle, Abigail Achiri
Blink Twice
When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends for a dream vacation on his private island. Wild nights soon blend into sun-soaked days, but when strange things start to happen, Frida must uncover the truth if she hopes to make it out alive.
Director: Zoë Kravitz
Writer: Zoë Kravitz, E.T. Feigenbaum
Cast: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Alia Shawkat
Summer of Violence
It tells the story of Naomi, who turns down law school to pursue poetry. She struggles to survive in 1993 Denver, after being cut off during a period of violent crime in the city known as the Summer of Violence. Plot summary.
Director: Nicki Micheaux
Writer: Nicki Micheaux
Cast: Kasey Inez, Jahking Guillory, Madhulika Krishnan, Damon Gupton, Pedro Correa, Shon Wilson
The Deliverance
Director: Lee Daniels
Writer: David Coggeshall, Elijah Bynum
Cast: Andra Day, Glenn Close, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Mo’Nique, Omar Epps, Caleb McLaughlin, Rob Morgan, Anthony B. Jenkins, Miss Lawrence, Demi Singleton, James William O’Halloran, and Tasha Smith.
Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted by Love
It follows the story of Ava (played by Beauvais), a world-renowned chef based in Europe who returns to South Carolina to care for her elderly aunt (Biscoe) after she has a fall. Upon her arrival, Ava is picked up by Luke (Hebron), a charming driver twenty years her junior. Despite their age difference, Ava and Luke form a passionate connection over their shared love for food, family, and fun. Ava must navigate her growing feelings for Luke while considering her career and personal relationships.
Director: Taliah Breon
Writer: Tamara T. Gregory
Cast:Garcelle Beauvais, Vaughn W. Hebron, Lela Rochon, Loretta Devine, and Donna Biscoe
Shirley
In 1972, the first-ever Black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm, launched a trailblazing campaign to become the president of the United States.
Director: John Ridley
Writer: John Ridley
Cast: Regina King, Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, André Holland, Terrence Howard
Queen Rising | Jun 18
Struggling school teacher Madison strikes a lucrative book deal to help solve her financial troubles; as she dives into her dark past surrounding the College Town Slayings, she realizes it may still be a part of her present after all.
Director:Princeton James
Writer:Allison Chaney, Henry E. Reaves III
Cast:April Hale, the film stars Xamon Glasper, Jessie Reeder, Terrion Mayfield, Dash Kennedy Williams, Rekeitha Morris, and Darious Robertson.
Young. Wild. Free.
The story follows Brandon Huffman, portrayed by Algee Smith, a hot-tempered high school senior whose life takes a dangerous turn after an encounter with Cassidy, played by Sierra Capri. Brandon, burdened with school struggles, caring for his younger siblings, and unemployment, finds an escape in his art. Cassidy, embodying confidence and danger, pulls Brandon into her world after robbing him at gunpoint, leading him down a perilous path.
Director:Thembi L. Banks
Writer:Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier
Cast:Algee Smith, Sierra Capri, Sanaa Lathan, Mike Epps
Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead
The plot unfolds as Tanya’s plans for a carefree summer in Spain take a detour when her mother, portrayed by Ms. Pat, heads to a wellness retreat in Thailand. Forced to stay home with her three siblings after the demise of their elderly babysitter, played by Oscar-nominee June Squibb, Tanya navigates a job with the ambitious Rose, portrayed by Nicole Richie.
Director:Wade Allain-Marcu
Writer:
Cast:Ms. Pat, Simone Joy Jones, Nicole Richie, and Jermaine Fowler, Nicole Richie, Tyriq Withers, Donielle Tremaine Hensley, Miles Fowler, Iantha Richardson, Gus Kenworthy, and June Squibb
We Grown Now
In 1992 Chicago, as Michael Jordan solidifies himself as a champion, a story of two young legends in their own right begins. As wide-eyed and imaginative best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing, their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.
Director: Minhal Baig
Writer: Minhal Baig
Cast: Blake Cameron James, Gian Knight Ramirez, S. Epatha Merkerson, Avery Holliday and Ora Jones, with Lil Rel Howery and Jurnee Smollett
Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie
A college counselor investigates the disappearance of an ambitious college student who was struggling to pay her tuition and stopped attending classes.
Director: Delmar Washington
Writer: Avery O. Williams
Cast: Tanyell Quian, Naturi Naughton, Mark Hood, Jared Wofford
The American Society of Magical Negroes
A young man gets recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to making white people’s lives easier. Although initially enamored with his new powers, he begins to question the value of using supernatural means to do the very thing he’s felt obligated to do his whole life.
Director: Kobi Libii
Writer: Kobi Libii
Cast: Justice Smith, David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan
I Thought My Husband’s Wife Was Dead
It follows Lola Winters, played by Allen, a beautiful wife and expectant mother who appears to have an idyllic life with her dashing husband Leo, portrayed by Johnson, and their successful restaurant business. Their perfect world is shattered when Tori, (Luckett), reappears after being missing for five years and presumed dead. Her sudden return raises questions about her motives and why she hasn’t contacted the police. As tensions escalate, Tori demands a large sum of money from the Winters, leading to a shocking revelation that uncovers even darker secrets.
Director:Troy Scott
Writer: Tamara T. Gregory based on the novel ‘Unmissing’ by Minka Kent
Cast:LeToya Luckett, Sherilyn Allen, Jamall Johnson, and Angela “Black Chyna” White
Suncoast
A semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story about a young woman dealing with her brother’s serious illness and forming an unusual friendship with an eccentric activist.
Director: Laura Chinn
Writer: Laura Chinn
Cast: Nico Parker, Laura Linney, Woody Harrelson
Outlaw Posse
1908. Chief returns from years of hiding in Mexico to claim stolen reparations gold hidden in the hills of Montana but is chased by Angel, whose rationale to the gold leaves a trail of dead bodies.
Director: Mario Van Peebles
Writer: Mario Van Peebles
Cast: Mario Van Peebles, D.C. Young Fly, Mandela Van Peebles, Amber Reign Smith, Allen Payne, Cedric the Entertainer, Whoopi Goldberg
Kemba
The film follows criminal justice reform advocate Kemba Smith, a woman charged as a co-conspirator to her college boyfriend’s drug-trafficking crimes and sentenced to 24.5 years in federal prison with no opportunity for parole.
Director: Kelley Kali
Writer: Christine Swanson
Cast: Nesta Cooper, Sean Patrick Thomas, Michelle Hurd, Andrea Laing, Siddiq Saunderson, Kelsey Scott, Stephen Ruffin, Elvire Emanuelle, June Carryl, Ashley Denise Robinson
Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall
In the late 90s, Youree Dell Harris, struggling to support her family, took a job with the Psychic Readers Network. Her vibrant persona, Miss Cleo, quickly became a beloved icon, known for her colorful turban and empathetic ear in the network’s infomercials. Despite her popularity, Miss Cleo faced significant challenges when the network was accused of fraud and deception, forcing her into the spotlight to defend her reputation and clear her name.
Director: Tim Reid
Writer: Camara Davis
Cast:Robin “The Lady of Rage” Allen, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Cocoa Brown, Shane Johnson, Ian Bohen, Dwayne Boyd, Towanda Braxton, Jaida Standberry, Marley Taylor, Amelia Young, Stevie Baggs Jr., Chantal Maurice, and Leslie Black
Terry McMillan Presents: Forever
It centers on Johnnie (Diggs), who returns home from military service only to be met with divorce papers. As he grapples with this unexpected turn, he finds himself falling for Carlie (Good), a local policewoman who pulls him over for speeding. Determined to win her heart, Johnnie must also win over her three daughters, confronting his own fears and regrets to discover love and the true meaning of family.
Director: Charles Murray
Writer: Bart Baker
Cast: Taye Diggs and Meagan Good
Bob Marley: One Love
Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.
Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Writer: Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin
Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch
A Soweto Love Story
Desperate for her three single sons to get married, a woman promises her house to the first one to tie the knot, setting off a race to the altar.
Director: Rolie Nikiwe
Writer:
Cast: Lunga Shabalala, Duduzile Ngcobo, Sparky Xulu, Didintle Khunou, N’kone Mametja
Origin
Grappling with tremendous personal tragedy, writer Isabel Wilkerson sets herself on a path of global investigation and discovery as she writes Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.
Director: Ava Duvernay
Writer: Ava DuVernay Based on Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Cast:Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Niecy Nash-Betts, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood and more
The Book of Clarence
A down-on-his-luck man struggles to find a better life for his family while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, ultimately discovering that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.
Director: Jeymes Samuel
Writer: Jeymes Samuel
Cast:LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, Anna Diop, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch
Lift
A master thief is wooed by his ex-girlfriend and the FBI to pull off an impossible heist with his international crew on a 777 passenger flight from London to Zurich.
Director: F. Gary Gray
Writer: Keith Bunin, Justin Hillian
Cast: Kevin Hart, Jacob Batalon, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Mea Culpa
A criminal defense attorney takes on the case of a seductive artist accused of murdering his girlfriend, but when burning desire takes hold, things get hot — and dangerous.
Director: Tyler Perry
Writer: Tyler Perry
Cast: Kelly Rowland, Trevante Rhodes, RonReaco Lee, Shannon Thornton, Nick Sagar, Sean Sagar
A Hip Hop Story
Hip Hop culture is in a crisis! A pioneer of the culture joins forces with a few of rap music’s elite performers to attempt to save Hip Hop. Exciting and hilarious, this film also offers relevant social commentary on the state of Hip Hop culture.
Director: Damaine Radcliff
Writer: Affion Crockett
Cast: Cedric the Entertainer, Damaine Radcliff, Jevin Smith, Damien Dante Wayans, Lil Rel Howery, Wayne Brady, Lil Mama, and Norm Nixon, Jr.
The Kitchen
The storyline unfolds in a near-future London where the wealth gap has been pushed to its limits, leaving only one remaining bastion of social housing—The Kitchen. In this desolate setting, we encounter Izi, portrayed by Kane Robinson (also known as Kano), a lone resident grappling with the necessity of staying, and 12-year-old Benji, played by newcomer Jedaiah Bannerman, on a quest to find family amid the societal collapse.
Director: Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya
Writer: Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya
Cast: Kane Robinson, Jedaiah Bannerman, Hope Ikpoku Jnr, Ian Wright, BackRoad Gee, Cristale, Teija Kabs, and Demmy Ladipo
The Underdoggs
Jaycen Jennings, a former NFL superstar, agrees to coach a youth football team to avoid serving time in prison.
Director: Charles Stone III
Writer: Danny Segal, Isaac Schamis
Cast: Snoop Dogg, Tika Sumpter, Andrew Schulz, Mike Epps, Kal Penn, Kandi Burruss, George Lopez
Bosco
In 2006, Quawntay “Bosco” Adams plans an ingenious escape from a federal maximum-security prison for the chance to be at his first child’s birth.
Director: Nicholas Manuel Pino
Writer: Nicholas Manuel Pino, Daniel Yelovich
Cast: Aubrey Joseph, Nikki Blonsky, D.C. Young Fly,John Lewis, Theo Rossi, Thomas Jane, Tyrese Gibson, Vivica A. Fox
For What Its Worth
It follows Naomi Samuels, a successful physician who finds herself publicly humiliated and suddenly unemployed. Naomi reluctantly returns to her hometown to reconnect with the foster care siblings she’s neglected for years. Hopeful to regain control of her life, Naomi and her siblings face a challenge that takes them all over the edge.
Director: Courtney Arlett
Writer: LaJill Hunt
Cast: Patrice Covington, Leslie Black, Kevin Savage, Jared Wofford
My Valentine Wedding
Soon after getting engaged, Krystal finds her life flipped upside down when planning what should be the wedding of her dreams.
Director:Christopher Nolen
Writer: Cassandra Mann
Cast: Shaquita Smith, Travis Cure, Barton Fitzpatrick
Da ‘Partments
Exploring the fine line between the everyday struggles of the underprivileged and the enchantment hidden within an apartment complex.
Director: T.I.
Cast: Tyler Chronicles, Ronnie Jordan, Erica Duchess, Charles King, Jay Ski, Good Game