Black Girl Magic Ignites A Heist Film From A Meme
Rihanna and Lupita N’yongo will star in a Issa Rae and Ava Duvernay production and we have Black Twitter to thank for it.
Entertainment Weekly set the record straight Monday and confirmed two things we want to hear. Netflix will be the film’s distributor and filming will begin in 2018.The idea originally sparked from a picture of the singer and actress at the Miu Miu show in 2014. A millennial who goes by the handle elizabitchtaylor turned the image into a meme on her tumblr with this caption, “They look like they’re in a heist movie with Rihanna tough-as-nails leader/master thief and Lupita as the genius computer hacker.”
Three years later, the meme reappeared on a different platform. A Twitterer under the handle @1800SADGAL tweeted, “Rihanna looks like she scams white men and lupita is the computer smart best friend that helps plans the scams.”
The tweet went viral resulting in over 100,000 retweets and over 200,000 likes. N’yongo tweeted to the songstress, “I’m down if you are @rihanna” and she responded, “I’m in Pit’z.”
The Twitter victory didn’t end there. Black Twitter called upon the two largest names in entertainment to write and direct the film: Ava Duvernay and Issa Rae. Their responses proved they’re on the same page. Ava posted a gif of Rihanna putting on her crown with this caption, “@MikelleStreet @rihanna Lights set. Camera’s up. Ready to call action for these #queens. and Ms Insecureresponded to a fan and Rihanna with a gif of a cat ferociously typing on a laptop.
While sources say Issa Rae has begun writing the script, the real tea is will the two young ladies who stirred up Twitter see their names in the credits or on six figure checks? Ladies do not settle for anything less. You both played major roles in making this Black Girl Magic film happen. Be sure to Stick your hands out and Collect your checks.
