It’s a new year and that means new movies and TV shows are just around the corner. As the weather gets colder, it’s time to snuggle on the couch or warm at your favorite theater for some of the best entertainment coming this year.
The Koalition wanted to share our must-see movies, documentaries and TV shows for 2022.
Peacock Streaming Service
BEL-AIR
View Trailer HERE
Set in modern-day America, BEL-AIR is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, BEL-AIR will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the original show.
Starring: Jabari Banks, Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola, Jordan L. Jones, Simone Joy Jones
Co-Showrunners / Executive Producers: T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson
Director / Co-Writer / Executive Producer: Morgan Cooper
Executive Producers: Will Smith, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Malcolm Spellman, Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, and Andy & Susan Borowitz
Peacock Streaming Service
Bust Down
In BUST DOWN, four casino employees in a dead-end job in middle America attempt to find self-worth in their bad ideas.
Executive produced by Lorne Michaels, ensemble comedy BUST DOWN has been ordered to series starring Chris Redd, Sam Jay, Langston Kerman and Jak Knight.
BUST DOWN is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Broadway Video. Lorne Michaels will executive produce, and Andrew Singer and Hilary Marx also serve as executive producers. Richie Keen will direct. Guy Stodel serves as co-executive producer, and Adrian Finkel will produce.
SONY Pictures Classics
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America
View Trailer HERE
Former ACLU Deputy Legal Director Jeffery Robinson’s groundbreaking talk on the history of U.S. anti- Black racism is interwoven with archival footage, interviews, and Robinson’s story, exploring the enduring legacy of white supremacy and our collective responsibility to overcome it.
The shocking murder of George Floyd and the ensuing swell of protests across this country have forced a reckoning, not just with police brutality against Black Americans, but with the painful history of slavery and anti-Black racism in America. Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America is a documentary feature film that confronts this history head on.
Opens in NY & LA January 14, 2022
Starring: Jeffery Robinson
Written by: Jeffery Robinson
Directed by: Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler
Disney+
The Book of Boba Fett
View Trailer HERE
The Book of Boba Fett, a thrilling Star Wars adventure teased in a surprise end-credit sequence following the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigating the galaxy’s underworld when they return to the sands of Tatooine to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate.
The Book of Boba Fett stars Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Robert Rodriguez, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson are the executive producers. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck serve as co-executive producers, with John Bartnicki producing and John Hampian as co-producer.
New Series from Lucasfilm Launches Exclusively on Disney+ December 29
Starring: Temuera Morrison, Ming-Na Wen
Executive Producers: Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Robert Rodriguez, Kathleen Kennedy
The CW
Naomi
View Trailer HERE
From Oscar® nominee/Emmy® winner Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship (Arrow), and starring Kaci Walfall in the title role, the DC drama NAOMI follows the journey of a cool, confident, comic book–loving teenager as she pursues her hidden destiny. Based on the characters from DC, when a supernatural event shakes her hometown of Port Oswego to the core, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins. As Naomi journeys to the heights of the Multiverse in search of answers, what she discovers will challenge everything we believe about our heroes.
Written and Executive Produced by: Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship (Arrow)
Executive Produced by: Sarah Bremner and Paul Garnes of ARRAY Filmworks
Pilot Directed & Co-Executive Produced By: Amanda Marsalis (Echo Park, Queen Sugar)
The series is from ARRAY Filmworks in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Premiere: January 11, 2022
The CW
All American
View Trailer HERE
It’s been a long journey in just a short period of time for gifted high school football star Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), from his days as the breakout player at South Crenshaw High to becoming state champion with Beverly Hills High. His family life, personal relationships and athletic future all changed and grew in ways he never imagined. But after the rough year that followed that victory, Spencer made the tough decision to return to South Crenshaw High for his senior year with Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) by his side as the new head coach. With South Crenshaw High saved, and the controversial State Championship behind him, Spencer has his eyes set on the All American game and his future with the NFL, which starts with Toledo State. But before our Beverly and South Crenshaw students can set their sights on college, they’ll have to navigate the tumultuous last half of senior year, including an epic unexpected prom, two graduations and all the complications that come with the growing pains of leaving high school behind and catapulting into adulthood.
Starring: Daniel Ezra as Spencer James, Taye Diggs as Billy Baker, Samantha Logan as Olivia Baker, Bre-Z as Coop, Greta Onieogou as Layla Keating, Monet Mazur as Laura Baker, Michael Evans Behling as Jordan Baker, Cody Christian as Asher Adams, Karimah Westbrook as Grace James, Chelsea Tavares as Patience and JJ Parker as Hunter Clowdus.
Executive Producers: Nkechi Okoro Carroll (“Rosewood,” “The Resident”), Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Riverdale”), Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Riverdale”), John A. Norris (“Deception”) and Jameal Turner (“Rosewood.”)
The CW
All American: Homecoming
View Trailer HERE
Premiere: February 21, 2022
ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING is a young adult sports drama set against the backdrop of the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) experience at Bringston University, where Black excellence is a way of life. The series follows Simone (Geffri Maya, “All American”), a young tennis hopeful from Beverly Hills who is trying to fight her way back to great after some time away from the court, and Damon (Peyton Alex Smith, “Legacies”), an elite baseball player from Chicago who is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. After Simone’s aunt Amara Patterson (Kelly Jenrette, “Manhunt”), a journalism teacher and activist, exposes a scandal that threatens to derail the school’s beloved baseball program, new coach Marcus Turner (Cory Hardrict, “The Outpost”) is determined to bring a championship back to Bringston the honest way — with Damon’s help. Damon will adjust to his new normal with fellow baseball player and childhood friend JR (Sylvester Powell, “Five Points”) by his side. Meanwhile, as Simone struggles to find her footing, she will get a little guidance from Thea (Camille Hyde, “Katy Keene”), the super-competitive queen bee of the Bringston tennis team, and Keisha (Netta Walker, “Come as You Are”), the school’s unofficial mayor, who will help Simone learn how to live her best life. As they contend with the high stakes of college sports, Simone and Damon will also navigate the highs, lows, and sexiness of unsupervised early adulthood at a prestigious HBCU.
Written and Executive Produced by: Nkechi Okoro Carroll
Executive Produced by: Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, David Madden, and Robbie Rogers
Pilot Directed by: Michael Schultz (“All American,” “Black Lightning”)
The CW
March
MARCH showcases the dedicated and energetic group of college students at Prairie View A&M University—from drum majors and dancers to the flag team and all the section players—as they navigate performing in one of the most prestigious HBCU marching bands along with tackling a rigorous academic schedule and maintaining a high-grade point average. The series chronicles their pressure-filled journey to become the highest ranked HBCU band in the land, including electrifying performances at homecoming, Texas A&M and Southern University. As MARCH shares the personal and unique stories of individual members and staff of the over 300-person marching band, it also explores the legacy and culture of Prairie View A&M and highlights how the Marching Storm band is an integral part of that rich history.
Debuts on: Monday, January 24 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), and then moves to Sundays starting February 27 (9:00-10:00 ET/PT) after ALL AMERICAN and ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING take over Monday nights.
Executive Produced by: Cheryl Horner McDonough, Jamail Shelton, Shari Scorca and Marcel Fuentes
Disney Pixar
Turning Red
View Trailer HERE
Disney and Pixar’s “Turning Red” introduces Mei Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang), a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming (voice of Sandra Oh), is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS), she “poofs” into a giant red panda!
Releases on: March 11, 2022
Directed by: Academy Award® winner Domee Shi (Pixar short “Bao”)
Produced by: Lindsey Collins
