In Judas and the Black Messiah filmmaker Shaka King tells unshakeable true story of William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), a career thief who becomes an FBI informant and infiltrates the Black Panther Party with the goal of taking down its influential chairman Fred Hampton (Kaluuya), chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.
As seen in the trailer above the movie centers around instructive divide between Hampton and O’Neal; a betrayal that is a significant yet unexplored moment in Black history.
King, who co-wrote the movie with Will Berson, explores the iconic revolutionary, the conflicted man who brought death at his door and how it reflects today’s treatment of the Black community and activism.
The Koalition had the opportunity to be part of Where There’s People There’s Power: A Conversation with the Filmmakers of Judas and the Black Messiah where producers Ryan Coogler (Creed, Black Panther) and Charles D. King (Producer of Just Mercy, Sorry to Bother You, Fences), Director/co-writer Shaka King and Chairman Fred Hampton, Jr. reflects on the film’s journey and how this story impacted them while filming.
Judas and the Black Messiah will release simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max on February 12th.
Check out the discussion below.
