Netflix is turning viral text exchange between grandmother accidentally inviting a stranger to thanksgiving into a movie called The Thanksgiving Text.
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Just about everyone knows the story, in 2016 Jamal Hinton posted screenshots of a text exchange between him and Wanda Dench who set out a text to her family wanting to know a head count for who was coming to THanksgiving dinner. However, she accidentally text Jamal Hinton instead of one of her grandkids. And that comical text exchange resulted in Hinton spending Thanksgiving with Dench and her family.
“Can I still get a plate tho?” Hinton’s text asked after revealing himself, only for Dench to respond, “Of course you can. That’s what grandma’s do… feed everyone.”
That accidental encounter turned into a six year tradition and Dench has since extended the invitation to Hinton’s girlfriend and his family. After the pandemic hit, their reunion became poignant because Dench’s husband of 42 years, Lonnie Dench, who also participated in the Thanksgiving tradition, died in April 2020 from COVID-19 complications.
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Now Netflix is turning it into The Thanksgiving Text. Abdul Williams is penning the story but as of now, no cast or director are attached.
Dench and Hinton have expressed support and excitement for the upcoming film.
“We are excited to share our story with the world. We hope it inspires more people to reach out and make connections that they wouldn’t ordinarily make,” Dench and Hinton said in a joint statement. “We are so blessed to find a genuine friendship brought together by God from a mistaken text message.”
The Thanksgiving Text is not the first time Hollywood has adapted a viral moment into a movie. One of the most noted Twitter moments of all-time is Zola’s wild stripper road trip that was turned into the indie film Zola starring Taylour Paige.