Mumbai: Historical drama Judas and the Black Messiah is set to release in Indian theatres on 5 March, studio Warner Bros Pictures said on Tuesday.
The film, inspired by true events of the 1960s—a pivotal period in American history—stars Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield in the lead.
“A nation rife with political and social unrest was besieged by explosive demonstrations against the prevailing social and gender norms, the Vietnam war and racial injustice,” reads the film’s synopsis.
“Black communities, tired of facing racial disparities in healthcare, housing, education and employment—all outgrowths of systemic inequality—had finally had enough,” says the synopsis released by the makers.
Directed by Shaka King, Judas and the Black Messiah marks his studio feature film directorial debut.
The film is set in Chicago and tracks petty criminal William O’Neal (Stanfield) who agrees to work as an informant for the FBI to infiltrate the Black Panther Party and take down the chairman of its Illinois chapter Fred Hampton (Kaluuya).
Through Judas and the Black Messiah, King said he wanted to change the way Hampton is perceived by Black men.
“For a lot of Black men, Fred Hampton is a real hero because of just how undaunted, unafraid and unstoppable he was, yet people always seem centred on the tragic way he died, not at all focused on the heroic way he lived. I wanted to change that,” the director said in a statement.
King has penned the story with Will Berson. He has also produced the film alongside Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Charles D. King, who has backed titles like Just Mercy and Fences.
Ashton Sanders, Dominique Fishback, Martin Sheen and Jesse Plemonsalso star in the film.
Judas and the Black Messiah got nominated for two Golden Globes—best supporting actor (motion picture) for Kaluuya and best song (motion Picture) for Fight For You.
Kaluuya has also earned a best supporting actor nod at Critics’ Choice Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards for playing Hampton.
The cast secured a best acting ensemble nomination at Critics’ Choice Awards.