John Ridley: Last News

Almost every studio in Hollywood has a skeleton in its closet in regards to a film in its catalog that doesn’t stand up to the test of time. Disney has “The Song of the South,” as well as a lot of older cartoons with racist depictions of characters.

protesting against racism and calling to defund the police. Still HBO Max, the famed cable network’s new streaming service was recently under fire for offering Gone with the Wind, NBC News reports. While some fans of the black-and-white Academy Award-winning film may see it as a nostalgic look at the Civil War, others see it for what it truly is: a film that downplayed the atrocities of slavery while celebrating the Confederacy.Gone won 10 out of 13 awards during the 1940s Oscars, including one for Hattie McDaniel for Best Supporting Actress as she played Mammy opposite Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara.

an article in the LA Times by John Ridley, Oscar-winning scriptwriter of 12 Years a Slave, in which he described it as “a film that, when it is not ignoring the horrors of slavery, pauses only to perpetuate some of the most painful stereotypes of people of color”.Ridley added: “At a moment when we are all considering what more we can do to fight bigotry and intolerance, I would ask that all content providers look at their libraries and make a good-faith effort to separate programming that might be lacking in its representation from that which is blatant in its demonisation.”HBO responded with a statement, which said: “These racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today, and we felt that to keep this title up without an explanation

Amanda N'Duka pmc-editorial-managerScreen Media has obtained all North American rights to the survival thriller Black Water: Abyss, the Andrew Traucki-directed sequel to the 2007 horror film Black Water, which will get a day-and-date release August 7.The pic stars Jessica McNamee, who plays Sonya Blade in the upcoming Mortal Kombat feature at New Line, Luke Mitchell from ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Amali Golden (Bloom), Benjamin Hoetjes (The Code), and Anthony J. Sharpe (Robert the Bruce).Written by John Ridley and Sarah Smith, the plot revolves around a group of friends who explore a remote cave system deep in the forests of Northern Australia when a tropical storm hits.

“Gone With the Wind” is generating controversy once again. The once-acclaimed 1939 Civil War drama has been temporarily pulled by HBO Max from its slate of streaming options amid outcries over the film’s dated depictions of slavery and racism, according to multiple reports.

HBO Max from its slate of streaming options amid outcries over the film's dated depictions of slavery and racism, according to multiplereports.Just two weeks after launching, HBO Max has reportedly decided to reevaluate its streaming content, a move that comes amid nationwide protests over systemic racism in American society.The film — which has long been revered by film critics and is the highest grossing movies of all time when adjusting box office totals for inflation — was recently decried in a high-profile op-ed in the , penned by screenwriter John Ridley.Ridley called on HBO Max to pull the film — which tells the story of a tumultuous love affair between two wealthy Southern aristocrats and is set against the backdrop of the end of

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorLess than two weeks after launch, HBO Max has removed Gone With the Wind from its streaming offering. It’s a significant move given the film’s popularity and status as the highest-grossing movie of all time when box office numbers are adjusted for inflation.On Monday, Academy Award winning writer-director John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) called for the film’s removal from HBO Max, saying “It doesn’t just ‘fall short’ with regard to representation.

HBO Max is letting go of Gone With the Wind.