The multi-hyphenate dynamo that is Janelle Monáe was set to headline Antebellum, her first starring vehicle, in the spring – but then came COVID-19.
Wah, wah.
Monáe was to be seen on the big screen as Veronica Henley, a successful author, who finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality – one that is mortifying, discombobulating, and potentially deadly (Antebellum comes from the producer of Get Out and Us) – so she must uncover the mind-bending mystery of why before it’s too late.
Now, though, after a long season of self-isolation and uncertainty, the feature-film debut of writer-director duo Bush + Renz (Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz) is coming to a TV near you later this summer, when the horror thriller finally becomes available for home premiere on Aug. 21 Sept. 18.
Said the directors of the (forced) move(s), in the press release announcing the new drop date, “While we designed Antebellum to be consumed as a communal experience in the theater, we are thrilled by the unique opportunity we have to pivot to a different kind of communal moment in our culture.
“As we face the realities of systemic racism in our country, which have crescendoed to this current inflection point in 2020, we understand how imperative it is to bring [our film] to the broadest audience possible, while also prioritizing health and safety. It is our ardent hope that by sharing our film widely, both nationally and internationally, we will transform the moviegoing experience from home into a true event.”
I’m down. Looking forward to celebrating movies at the movie theater ASAP – but I’m down.
King of Cups 