Black folks have been fighting for equal representation in Hollywood for generations. Recent box office blowouts like “Black Panther” and “The Princess and the Frog” show there’s not only a need but also a desperate want for Black on-screen characters. But still, within the last few years, a number of Black-led projects have been pulled before they even reached the big screen, which has many wondering what the hell is going on!
Disney has officially scrapped the highly anticipated television sequel to one of the best performing animated movies in history, “The Princess and the Frog,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show, which was set to premiere on Disney+, had been teased since 2020. Now, fans around the world are left confused and in shock about what went wrong.
On X, @noalbumsout wrote: “The way every other princess got sequels, shows, loads of content and all tiana gets is a shelved show and 20 minutes as a human in her movie.”
Another user noted how other Disney princess movies like “Moana” haven’t had these same struggles. “Moana has a sequel and a live action movie in the makings when it only came out in 2016… mind you princess and the frog came out 2009,” @myasvrtual said.
Sadly, “Tiana” is just the latest Black-led production to be given the boot. Last week, Marvel revealed the “Black Panther” spin-off focused on Okoye, a fan favorite character played by Danai Gurira, was also scrapped. There’s been little to no explanation on why exactly these teased projects suddenly are getting sacked, and to make matters worse, Disney isn’t the only company making these bold moves.
Universal recently cancelled Pharrell Williams’ “Golden” musical starring Halle Bailey, Janelle Monáe, Anderson .Paak, and more. And in March 2024, the MTV “Daria” spinoff titled “Jodie” starring Tracee Ellis Ross was chopped.
According to a report from Nielsen, Black Americans make up 46 hours and 13 minutes of video consumption per week compared to the overall U.S. population which spends about 34 hours and 57 minutes watching video. So the issue is clearly not that Black folks aren’t tuning into shows and movies, especially the ones for us and by us.
In a country where diversity, equity, and inclusion is being targeted at the federal level — all while Black stars are repeatedly typecasted and criticized — it could make you wonder how much progress Hollywood has truly made within the last generation.
The conversation surrounding Hollywood’s sometimes questionable treatment of Black leads is finally starting to bubble amongst the public. “How to Die Alone” star and creator Natasha Rothwell recently spoke on the matter after her show, which received 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, was canceled by Hulu. “Representation isn’t just about visibility — it’s about ensuring that our stories, our existence and our cultural contributions are not erased,” she told Variety.
Rothwell said she’s continuing her search to find a new home for her hit show, and maybe that’s the solution for the rest of the Black-led projects: find somewhere else that’ll meet the demands for Black creatives and Black audiences. But at the same time, Hollywood and the powers that be have to realize the true value and importance of Black creatives, including paying them their worth... but that’s another conversation for a different day.