Director Tim Story's horror comedy The Blackening has aired on BBC Three, offering a satirical take on the long-standing trope of black characters dying first in horror films. The movie follows a group of friends reuniting over the Juneteenth weekend, the US holiday marking the end of slavery, as they confront a killer in a remote cabin.
Story said the idea stemmed from his own experiences: 'Growing up there was always the one black person, the token black person that would get killed first. Sometimes we'd make bets on how soon they'd get taken out.' By making the entire cast black, the film asks 'what happens and who goes first?'
The film leans into satire, blending elements of Scooby Doo-style mystery with the comedy of the Scary Movie franchise. It also explores the question of how 'black enough' one must be to survive, reflecting on the history of black representation in Hollywood, from the 1915 film Birth of a Nation to the Blaxploitation era of the 1970s.
Critics have praised the film. The Hollywood Reporter's Lovia Gyarke noted: 'A sturdy screenplay with a strong cast propels The Blackening, giving it satisfying momentum through its funny, stressful, and sometimes simultaneous moments.'
