African Actors, Stories Dominate Beyonce's Black Is King Film - New Vision

Posted: 23 Jul 2020 11:16 AM PDT

Beyonce Knowles. (AFP photo)

ENTERTAINMENT MOVIE TRAILER

At the first glance of the new trailer for the movie Black is King, you, as an African, would feel greatly represented. From the props, the scenes, the characters and locations of the movie, the story is deeply African.

The movie by Beyonce Knowles follows her hit film, The Lion King, which came out last year. Thus, it reimagines the lessons of The Lion King for today's young Kings and Queens in search of their own crowns. The film was in production for a year, with a cast and crew that represent diversity and connectivity across Africa.

Black is king trailer/ YouTube screenshot

Starring featured artists from the film's music soundtrack as well as guest appearances, Black Is King tells the story of a young king's journey through betrayal, love, and self-identity. Guided by his ancestors, father and childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne.

Filmed in various locations, the film captures beautiful people and landscapes across continents, starting in New York, then Los Angeles, South Africa, West Africa, London and Belgium. From all those places came an extraordinary cast of actors and dancers that influenced the film's rich dance moods and entertainment. In Africa, M-Net will screen the movie on August 1, within 24 hours of its official debut.

The new trailer provides a glimpse of some of the special guests in the film. They include models Aweng Ade-Chuol and Adut Akech, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Actor Lupita Nyong'o, singer Kelly Rowland, Pharrell Williams and JAY-Z, among others.