'Black America': Alt-History Civil War Drama on Amazon to Rival HBO's 'Confederate'
Another alternative history Civil War drama is coming to the small screen. Amazon is producing "Black America" to rival HBO's "Confederate."
"Black America" comes from Will Packer ("Straight Outta Compton") and Aaron McGruder ("Black Jesus"). It will center on a sovereign nation called New Colonia, which was established after freed African-American slaves seized Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi at the end of the Civil War.
"Black America" will be set in the present day with New Colonia emerging as an industrialized country. Its neighbor, the United States, on the other hand, is on the decline in this alternative timeline.
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The project first came to light in February but the details were kept under wraps. But when HBO recently announced its plan to develop a similar show called "Confederate," Packer was pressed to reveal more about "Black America."
"It felt this was the appropriate time to make sure that audiences and the creative community knew that there was a project that preexisted and we are pretty far down the road with it," Packer told Deadline.
"['Black America'] will speak to where we are now and the mistakes this country has made and things we should do going forward," Packer added.
HBO's "Confederate," which is still undergoing development and conceptualization, received backlash from the public following its announcement. Viewers launched the #NoConfederate protest on Twitter to express disgust for HBO's plan.
Unlike "Black America," the HBO show's theme will center on slavery still existing after the Civil War. Network programming president Casey Bloys admitted they mishandled the show's announcement when it relied on a simple press release.
"We [thought we] would be able to announce an idea that is so sensitive and requires so much care and thought on the part of the producers in a press release," Bloys said.
The network, however, will proceed with the project despite the protest.
"Confederate" will be produced by "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, as well as married African-American couple Malcolm Spellman and Nichelle Tramble Spellman.
