Lee Daniels’ The Butler has become the first “black movie” with a black director to break the $100 million gross sales mark in the last 23 years.
According to Indie Wire reporters, “ You’d find very few films that tell stories about black people, and that were directed by black filmmakers, with grosses of over $100 million.”
While there have been many black actors, producers, and writers, in Hollywood films in recent years, very few black directors have been given the chance to direct those films. The closest movie we could find to the $100 million mark from a black director was Tyler Perry’s 2009 flick Madea Goes to Jail which brought in $90,508,336 during its lifetime gross.
Movies with black staring actors have managed to break the $100 million milestone in recent years, those movies include Django Unchained, Dreamgirls, The Pursuit Of Happyness, and Big Momma’s House. All of those movies were created with the help of non-black directors.
Talking about the success of The Butler Lee Daniels says he has now been given a blank check for future projects. “I don’t think I’m going to have a problem now. I made $100 million for The Butler. I’m in a rare group. So this is something I feel good about.”
So what will be the next film to break the $100 million milestone with a black director? Some experts believe The Best Man Holiday which debuts on November 15, 2013 has the potential to break that marker.
Hollywood for years was accused of white washing its studio ranks and now that fact could be changing thanks to Lee Daniels’ The Butler.
Do you think more black directors should be put in charge of “black movies” from major Hollywood studios?
