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Upcoming Movie ‘The American Society Of Magical Negroes’ Describes White People As “Most Dangerous Animal On The Planet”

December 18, 2023

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Justice Smith in The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024)

Focus Features has released a new trailer for an upcoming “comedy” called “The American Society of Magical Negroes,” directed by Kobi Libii.

The trailer features a scene where white people are described as “the most dangerous animal on the planet.”

The film’s website shares, “The American Society of Magical Negroes is “a fresh, satirical comedy about a young man, Aren, who is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people’s lives easier.”

Bounding into Comics reports:

The trailer introduces us to Smith’s character, who appears to be a new recruit of the American Society of Magical Negroes being trained by Grier’s character.

The specific line of dialogue labelling white people as ‘dangerous animals’ is uttered by Grier halfway through the trailer, as his character prepares to explain what the mission of this magical society is, revealing that their main goal is to keep white people happy — with their discomfort levels being measured in “white tears.”

“What’s the most dangerous animal on the planet?” he rhetorically asks. Right after Smith’s character replies with “shark,” he is immediately corrected by Grier, who says, “White people when they feel uncomfortable.”

“White people feeling uncomfortable precedes a lot of bad stuff for us,” he continued. “That’s why we fight white discomfort every day. Because the happier they are, the safer we are.”

In an interview with Black Entertainment Television, Libii shares,

“It all sort of starts with the Magical Negro trope,” the director prefaced. “I’m sure you’re familiar with it, but just to define it on my own terms, I think of the Magical Negro as a kind of stock Black character; a Black best friend character who is only focused on helping the white hero.”

He went on, “They don’t really have an inner life, and they don’t have their own things going on. They’re just relentlessly focused on helping this white character grow in most cases, and I always thought that was so funny. For whatever reason, the idea that there’s a white writer who pictures the thing we do in the morning is getting up and trying to help them.”

“I found it so absurd and incorrect and funny that I wanted to blow it out and criticize it, but also use it as a way to talk about other stuff,” Libii further explained. “What it’s like to grow up as a Black person in this culture and some of the wild and fantastical things we have to do to survive. To me, that’s the origin story of the film.”

'I literally can't believe I've just seen that. That is awful, it's really bad!'

'If it was the other way around, there would be bloody riots!'

The panel react to the trailer for 'The American Society of Magical Negroes'. pic.twitter.com/Bk90buvgos

— GB News (@GBNEWS) December 16, 2023