Sean O'Connell, managing editor at CinemaBlend, discusses the release of Marvel's new "Black Panther" film and what it means for people of color in Hollywood.
O'Connell says what's great about the film is that the story was carefully crafted and developed. It does not feel as if it's pandering to a black audience. He says the storyline is a natural fit for the Marvel Universe.
The movie is estimated to rake in up to $170 million in its opening weekend. O'Connell notes how huge this would be for a movie that's not a sequel. Typically, it's not until the second or third film that movies generate such high numbers.
We also talk Ava Duvernay's "A Wrinkle in Time" and the significance or her being the first black woman to direct a film with a $100 million dollar budget. O'Connell is confident that star directors like Ava Duvernay and Ryan Coogler are here to stay, and that we're seeing a turning of the tide in Hollywood.
Jann Wenner, who co-founded Rolling Stone magazine and also was a co-founder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, has been removed from the hall's board of directors after making comments that were seen as disparaging toward Black and female musicians. He apologized within hours.
Three British news organizations reported Saturday that comedian and social influencer Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and abuse based on allegations from four women who knew him over a seven-year period at the height of his fame.
