Three of the most powerful Black women in Hollywood are teaming up to create a new film based on a graphic novel about a Black girl who attends a university of magic.
Effie T. Brown‘s Gamechanger Films, Gabrielle Union‘s I’ll Have Another Productions, and Taraji P. Henson‘s TPH Entertainment are banding together to produce Sorcerority, based on the graphic novel by Mikhail Sebastian and George Watson. Producing with Brown, Union and Henson include I’ll Have Another’s Kian Gass who will oversee and TPH Entertainment’s Christine Conley.
According to the official description, the film will follow Melanie, a young girl who enrolls at a university of magic.
“[Sorcerority] chronicles a young African-American girl, Melanie, who, following in the footsteps of her late mother, enrolls into a historically African-American coven and university of magic. She soon discovers her enrollment into the school may not be entirely of her own choosing, but rather the calculated actions of a higher authority. In between her studies, she uncovers her familial connection to the school’s mysterious past, as well as her pivotal role in its future.”
In a statement, Union said she and Henson have been hoping to work together for years.
“Taraji and I have been looking for a project to work on together for a few years now and I’m excited to be partnering with her, TPH Productions and Gamechanger Films on this project. I’m looking forward to bringing this graphic novel to the big screen,” she said.
“I created TPH Entertainment as a way to help push forward stories that better represent what our society looks like and to help share voices that may not have been given the opportunity to be heard,” added Henson. “Joining incredible, likeminded women like Effie and Gabrielle on this exciting adaptation is a thrill for me and I cannot wait to begin this journey with them!” stated Henson.
“I could not have imagined a better equipped or more inspiring dream team of female producing partners than Gabrielle and Taraji on a project about such powerful black women,” said Brown. “Sorcerority’s depiction of black girl magic and sisterhood offers such a fresh and unexpected perspective, and we can’t wait to bring Mikhail and George’s beautiful graphic novel to life.”
Union and Brown are also part of another project together, The Inspection directed by Elegance Bratton. Union and Jeremy Pope star in the film, which is co-financed and produced by Brown. The film will be distributed by A24, which also co-financed the film. Gamechanger Films also worked with Amazon Studios’ inclusion policy and playbook initiative for its productions and content.
