Blogs

Favorite Movies with Black Lead Roles

February 26, 2022

Welcome!

This is the GetOutPass blog. It's where we explore topics we're interested in. We hope you'll find them useful too! Feel free to stay and explore.
Submit
Arrow icon
Thank you for subscribing!⚡
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

How much do you love movies? Do you love them enough to watch them over and over again? If you answered yes to either question, you’re in luck because there are tons of great movies that feature black leads.

Many of these are some of the best movies of all time. From Django Unchained to Black Panther and Soul, these films feature amazing black heroes and are must-see favorites for movie buffs.

Here at GetOutPass, we're excited to share with you some of our favorite black-led films that you can watch over and over again.

Django Unchained

This film follows the story of Django, a slave who finds himself with a bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz. After completing their mission to capture the Brittle Brothers, Schultz frees Django. From there, they went hunting the most-wanted criminals in the South. Their travels took them to Candyland Plantation, where they found Django's wife Broomhilda who was kept as a slave by Calvin Candie, the owner of Candyland Plantation. 

Although a little controversial due to the film's usage of racial slurs and depiction of violence, Django Unchained has won numerous awards, including the nomination for Best Picture at the 85th Academy Awards. 

Remember The Titans

Based on a true story, Remember The Titans is a film based on the life of coach Herman Boone. In this movie, Football is a huge part of the lives of many people. It’s not just about watching the game, but about the traditions and the history that are associated with it. When schools had to integrate, the very foundation of football’s great tradition was put to the test. 

Remember The Titans is often listed as one of the best football films of all time, which is why it is apt to include this movie on this list.

Creed

Creed is a movie that follows the growth of Donnie Creed, an underdog but talented fighter who trained under Rocky Balboa to become a professional boxer. Donnie needs to defeat Ricky Conlan, the world light heavyweight champion. 

This film was chosen as one of the top ten films of 2015 by the National Board of Review. It also has a sequel called Creed II that was released in 2018. 

Get Out

Get Out is one of the most iconic films of 2017. It is a horror film that centers around Chris his girlfriend Rose, and the horrors that would happen over their weekend getaway upstate with her parents. 

Fun fact: Get Out is the directorial debut of Jordan Peele, one of the actors at the comedy TV show Key & Peele which was featured in our other article. 

Hidden Figures

This film revolves around the story of three African-American women--Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson--that served as the brains behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence and turned around the Space Race. These three female protagonists crossed all gender, race, and professional lines and proved their brilliance to their colleagues and the whole world. 

Hidden Figures was nominated for three Academy Awards, including one for Best Picture. 

Black Panther

Also based on Marvel Comics, Black Panther is highly acclaimed for its cultural significance. It became the second-highest-grossing film of 2018. 

The film follows T'Challa, the rightful heir to the throne as the prince of Wakanda. His determination to become the king of Wakanda and as Black Panther was tested when he's drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of his nation and the entire world at risk. T'Challa must unite his allies and release his full power to defeat his foes and keep his people safe. 

This film received seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, and won the Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. 

Space Jam

As the highest-grossing basketball film of all time, Space Jam deserves to be on this list. Starring basketball superstar Michael Jordan, this live-action/animated sports comedy also features Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes characters. They enlisted him to help them win a basketball match against aliens who wants to make them an attraction for their amusement park. 

This film was highly praised due to its technical achievements and intertwining live-action and animation. 

Coach Carter

This film centers around the story of coach Ken Carter, an educator who returns to his old high school to whip the basketball team to shape. He succeeds in setting the players on a winning streak, but after his players' grades started to deteriorate, Carter locked down the gym and refused to reopen it until their grade improves. Even when facing orders from the school board, he stuck to his principles, teaching his students a lesson they will never forget. 

Soul

Another animation film on this list, Soul centers around the story of Joe Gardner, a music teacher who's near to getting his big break--until he fell into a manhole which made his soul and body separate. While on the "Great Beyond", he was mistaken for a mentor and was tasked to help a soul named 22 to find her "spark". 

This film is Pixar's first movie to feature an African-American protagonist. Soul was universally acclaimed by professional reviewers. It also led the 93rd Academy Awards with three nominations. And at the 78th Golden Globe Awards, it won the Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score. 

42

Based on a true story, 42 depicts the hardship of Jackie Robinson, the first black athlete to play in the Major League. 

In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The signing of Robinson, a black man, was unprecedented at the time and caused a firestorm of controversy. But with his talent, Robinson showed true courage and never let racism stop him. 

Conclusion

These 10 movies showed the contributions of African-American actors to our culture today and the heroes they portray. This Black History Month, let's remember the legacy of these heroes by watching these films and learning from their lessons.


One Pass That Does It All. Get Out And Play!

View pricing
Arrow icon
GetOutPass includes hundreds of free admissions to activities and attractions near you! Try it all with GetOutPass.

Save an extra 5% by subscribing!

Sign up for our product newlsetter to receive a one time 5% discount, updates on new attractions, exclusive discounts, and other offers
Subscribe
Arrow icon
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.