Blaxploitation is a problematic genre, in a variety of ways. Not only is the subgenre from the ‘70s full of stereotypes, foul language, and over-the-top violence, but to many who aren’t familiar with the works of that era, the filmmaking isn’t, well, all that great. That being said, films in the Blaxploitation genre paved the way for diversity in an era where Black people just weren’t starring in films. And one of the biggest films of that genre is “Dolemite” and its creator Rudy Ray More, whose life serves as the basis for the upcoming comedy starring Eddie Murphy.
As seen in the first trailer for “Dolemite Is My Name,” Murphy stars as down-on-his-luck performer Rudy Ray Moore. Always looking for his big break, Moore has tried just about everything he could to become a star. But now, with the creation of his martial artist pimp character Dolemite, he might just be onto something. When Moore teams up with a ragtag group of filmmakers to make his own movie, which will hopefully launch his career, the magic that is “Dolemite” finally begins to come together.
And any magic found in “Dolemite Is My Name” relies heavily on Murphy and his incredible cast of actors he’s brought onto the film. Titus Burgess, Keegan-Michael Key, Craig Robinson, Mike Epps, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Snoop Dogg, and Wesley Snipes all star opposite the legendary comedian in the upcoming film.
Also, there’s some star power behind the camera with Craig Brewer directing. Not only is Brewer the man behind the Oscar-nominated film “Hustle & Flow,” but he’s also the guy that has apparently impressed Murphy so much that the actor brought the director on to helm the upcoming “Coming to America” sequel.
“Dolemite Is My Name” is set to debut at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival and will, perhaps, be an awards contender for Netflix later this year. The film has yet to have a formal release date announcement but is expected to arrive in theaters and the streaming service in the fall.
