or


[04/11/23 - 09:04 AM]
MGM+ Greenlights "Hollywood Black" Docuseries, From Justin Simien's Culture Machine, Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions, and Academy Award-Winning RadicalMedia
Based on the book by historian Donald Bogle, this four-part docuseries tells the epic story of the actors, writers, directors, and producers who fought for their place on the page, behind the camera, on the screen, and in the credits.

[via press release from MGM]

MGM+ Greenlights "Hollywood Black" Docuseries, From Justin Simien's Culture Machine, Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions, and Academy Award-Winning RadicalMedia

Four-part docuseries exploring the Black experience in Hollywood will be directed by Justin Simien

LOS ANGELES - April 11, 2023 - MGM+, a premium linear channel and streaming service, today announced a greenlight for the docuseries Hollywood Black, from Justin Simien's Culture Machine, Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi's Significant Productions, and the Academy Award-winning creative production company RadicalMedia. Based on the book by historian Donald Bogle, this four-part docuseries - directed by Justin Simien (Dear White People), whose upcoming Disney film Haunted Mansion will be released this summer - tells the epic story of the actors, writers, directors, and producers who fought for their place on the page, behind the camera, on the screen, and in the credits. It is a definitive chronicle of a century of the Black experience in Hollywood, and a powerful reexamination of a quintessentially American story - in brilliant color.

"We are thrilled to work with Justin Simien, Jeffrey Schwarz, RadicalMedia, and to expand our prolific creative partnership with Forest and Nina," said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. "Hollywood Black, like other recent MGM+ docuseries, is an entertaining and thoughtful look at a vital part of American culture, examining the evolution of Black cinema and the talented artists who built it. It is a timely and relevant look at the Black experience in Hollywood."

"Hollywood, like many American industries, was built on Black culture and Black talent, even though it excluded Black people from many of its origin stories," said Justin Simien. "This series seeks to illuminate present-day controversies, from #OscarSoWhite to the almost regular 'blackface reveal' of prominent white celebrities, told through the lens of Black individuals throughout Hollywood history. It's the most important story I've been able to tell to date, on such a large scale, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to tell it with this team."

"We love collaborating with visionary filmmakers, so it's an honor to team up with Justin Simien/Culture Machine and Radical Media on Hollywood Black, especially alongside such immense support from Michael Wright and MGM+," said Forest Whitaker. "Through this meaningful exploration of Black history in cinema, we're excited to celebrate its future."

Culture Machine's Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) and Kyle Laursen, Significant Productions' Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi (Godfather of Harlem), and RadicalMedia's Dave Sirulnick, Stacey Reiss, Jon Kamen (Summer of Soul) and Jeffrey Swartz will all serve as executive producers. Amy Goodman Kass is showrunner, and Simien is set to direct. The docuseries will be internationally distributed by MGM.

Hollywood Black is the latest addition to MGM+'s library of acclaimed docuseries, including Amityville: An Origin Story, Murf the Surf, Emmy-nominated Laurel Canyon, Helter Skelter, Slow Burn, My Life as a Rolling Stone, NFL Icons, and Blumhouse's Compendium of Horror.

About Culture Machine

Culture Machine is a production company dedicated to inclusive content from marginalized voices poised to disrupt, activate and electrify popular culture. Culture Machine produced all four seasons of Justin Simien's GLAAD- and Gotham Independent Film award-nominated series Dear White People on Netflix, adapted from Simien's own Sundance Jury Prize-winning feature film. Culture Machine is currently producing the Flashdance series reboot for Paramount+ with Simien set to direct a contemporary take on the classic Paramount Pictures film. Culture Machine is also producing the series adaptation of Image Comics' best-selling comic Geiger created by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank for Paramount. Their slate also includes Plan A from writer Steven J. Kung for Starz and with Lionsgate Television.

About Significant Productions

Co-founded by producing partners Forest Whitaker & Nina Yang Bongiovi, Significant Productions is committed to creating opportunities for underrepresented narratives and storytellers by championing films and television shows starring people of color, alongside diversified representation behind the camera.

Significant Productions has produced critically acclaimed, culturally significant motion pictures by auteur filmmakers, including Fruitvale Station (2013) by Ryan Coogler, Dope (2015) by Rick Famuyiwa, Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) by Chloe Zhao, Roxanne Roxanne (2018) by Michael Larnell, Sorry to Bother You (2018) by Boots Riley, and A Kid from Coney Island (2020) by Coodie & Chike. Passing, Rebecca Hall's directorial debut (based on Nella Larsen's novel of the same name) was released globally on Netflix in the fall of 2021, yielding four BAFTA nominations in 2022. Earlier this year, Significant launched Fancy Dance by Erica Tremblay and To Live and Die by Qasim Basir at Sundance, which both debuted to rave reviews. Notably, all eight narrative features produced by Nina & Forest premiered at Sundance Film Festival, and went on to garner over 90 wins and over 300 nominations throughout awards circuits.

Forest and Nina also serve as executive producers on the premium TV series "Godfather of Harlem," which just aired its third season on MGM+, and the pair continues to support inclusive storytelling within the television realm through its first-look deal at Amazon Studios.

About RadicalMedia

RadicalMedia is one of the world's leading producers of premium content. The company develops, creates & produces film, television, advertising, design, digital and immersive experiences. RadicalMedia is celebrating its fourth overall Academy Award nomination and second win with Summer of Soul on Disney+ & Hulu, which has been recognized as one of the most awarded documentaries in history. The company's other Academy Award for Fog of War and their two other nominations for Paradise Lost on HBO and What Happened, Miss Simone? on Netflix are amongst some of their most celebrated films to date.

Fluent in every discipline of storytelling across all media platforms, RadicalMedia has attained industry-wide recognition beyond the Academy Awards and Emmy(R) wins with multiple Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Independent Spirit Awards, Peabodys, Grammys(R), The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Communication Design, Cannes Lion Palme D'ore and just about every accolade associated with the advertising, marketing, and entertainment industry.

About MGM+

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of quality original series and docuseries, the latest movie releases, and classic film franchises - all available in the U.S. on TV, on-demand, online, and across devices. MGM+ is a destination for original premium content, with original series including sci-fi horror series FROM; Emmy-winning series Godfather of Harlem; the Western adventure Billy the Kid; and cinematic dramatic series War of the Worlds, Rogue Heroes, and Belgravia. The network is also the home of acclaimed docuseries, including Murf the Surf, Emmy-nominated Laurel Canyon, Helter Skelter, Slow Burn, My Life as a Rolling Stone, NFL Icons. Premium movies are also available, including No Time to Die, House of Gucci, Cyrano, and Licorice Pizza.

MGM+ will continue to be available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite, and emerging digital distribution channels, as well as through its MGM+ app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming. For more information about the current MGM+ lineup, go to www.mgmplus.com or follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.





  [april 2023]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· HOLLYWOOD BLACK (MGM PLUS)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.