Supacell

Supacell
Genre	Action-adventure Crime drama Superhero
Created by	Rapman
Written by	Rapman
Directed by	Rapman Sebastian Thiel
Starring	Tosin Cole Adelayo Adedayo Eddie Marsan
Theme music composer	Sillkey
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	6
Production
Executive producers	Anna Ferguson Steve Searle Mouktar Mohammed
Producers	Joanna Crow Mark Hedges Sheila Nortley
Cinematography	Sam Heasman Aaron Reid
Running time	46-59 minutes
Production companies	It's a Rap New Wave Energy
Original release
Network	Netflix
Release	27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)

Supacell is a 2024 British superhero television series, created and written by Rapman for Netflix. Set in modern-day South London, the series is about a group of five ordinary black people, unified by family history of sickle cell disease, unexpectedly developing superpowers and being pursued by a secret organisation who intends to control them. The series features an ensemble cast, including Tosin Cole, Adelayo Adedayo, Josh Tedeku, Nadine Mills, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Calvin Demba, Ghetts, Digga D, and Eddie Marsan. The series was directed by Rapman and Sebastian Thiel, and premiered in six episodes on 27 June 2024.

The series was a difficult sell to US broadcasters such as HBO, ABC, and FX, and Netflix took it on in late 2019, ahead of the release of Rapman's feature length film debut Blue Story . The development and writing process took place during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and filming took place between July 2022 and April 2023, throughout south-east London. The series explores themes such as knife crime, racial profiling, poverty, the exploitation of black bodies, and sickle cell disease.

Supacell received highly positive reviews from critics and audiences for its performances, direction, writing, cinematography, and visual effects, and for raising awareness of sickle cell disease. Upon its release, the series was number one on Netflix's global Top 10, with more than 18 million viewers in its first few weeks on the platform.

Premise

A group of five seemingly ordinary black people from South London (a delivery driver, a gang leader, a nurse, a financially-struggling father and a Cockney drug dealer), unified by a family history of sickle cell disease, unexpectedly develop superpowers. ^[1] They discover each other and fend off entrapment by a secret organisation seeking to control them. ^[2]

Cast

• Tosin Cole as Michael Lasaki, a delivery driver, and a super with the ability to teleport and manipulate time.
• Adelayo Adedayo as Dionne Ofori, Michael's fiancée. She is a social worker.
• Eddie Marsan as Ray, a leading member of the organization hunting down the supers.
• Nadine Mills as Sabrina Clarke, a young woman living with her sister, and a super with the ability of telekinesis.
• Eric Kofi-Abrefa as Andre Simpson, a financially struggling father, and a super with the ability of super strength.
• Calvin Demba as Rodney, a young drug dealer, and a super with the ability of super speed.
• Josh Tedeku as Tayo "Tazer" Amusan, the leader of a small gang rivaling Krazy's and Krazy’s former protégé, and a super with the ability of invisibility.
• Rayxia Ojo as Sharleen Clarke, Sabrina's sister
• Giacomo Mancini as Spud, Rodney's friend
• Michael Salami as Gabriel, Michael's friend
• Travis Jay as John, Andre's friend
• Ghetts as Craig "Krazy", the leader of an older gang rivaling Tazer's who is also Tazer’s former mentor, with the ability to absorb powers and is working for the organization hunting supers.
• Digga D as Chucky, a member of the Sixers, a gang rivaling Tazer’s.
• Robbie Gee as Mr. Johnson, the bereaved father of a missing girl whom Dionne attempts to track down.
• Akai Coleman as Tiny, youngest member of the Tower boy gang.
• Andy Thompson as Twosie, a notable member of the tower boy gang
• Xavien Russell as Dotz, a member of the tower boy gang.
• Mickira Oji as Skreamer, a member of the tower boy gang.
• Sian Brooke as Victoria Kesh

Production

Development and writing

Rapman's plans to write a superhero series were first publicised in November 2019, during the promotion of his first feature-length film Blue Story . When asked by actor Junior Afolabi Salokun, who appeared in both Blue Story and Supacell, about what he would like to write next, Rapman responded with "I want to do a sci-fi one day. I could do something like a Misfits but a bit deeper. Like imagine someone from where we came from [South London] gets powers? Like real powers, like what would man really do with that power?"

The series was a difficult sell to US broadcasters, such as HBO, ABC, and FX, who all rejected it. During a dinner with some UK Netflix executives where Rapman pitched ideas for several shows, such as an untitled football-centric series, Supacell was successfully commissioned. He began writing the series during the COVID-19 pandemic, following the cancellation of his planned second film American Son, a remake of the 2009 French film A Prophet , starring Russell Crowe and Stephan James, for Paramount Pictures, as a result of the pandemic, and in November 2021, the series was announced in November 2021 with Mouktar Mohammed and Henrietta Lee of New Wave as executive producer and associate producer, respectively. ^[3] Also executive producing are Anna Ferguson and Steve Searle of Netflix with Mark Hedges as series producer. ^[4] Rapman wrote all six episodes and directed three, with Sebastian Thiel directing the other three episodes.

Casting

In August 2022, Tosin Cole was announced in the lead role along with a cast that included Adelayo Adedayo, Nadine Mills, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Calvin Demba, Josh Tedeku, Rayxia Ojo and Giacomo Mancini. ^[5] It was later revealed that Eddie Marsan had joined the cast as Ray. ^[6]

Filming

Filming took place between 4 July and 10 December 2022 in South and South East London. ^[7] Filming locations included Thamesmead, Peckham, Bermondsey and Deptford. ^[8] It was reported that the production was using a specialised Arri 35 camera which has been designed to show Black skin in the best and most complimentary way. ^{[9] [10]} Filming had wrapped by April 2023. ^[11]

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Michael"	Rapman	Rapman	27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)
Delivery driver Michael has big plans for the future with his girlfriend. Until something odd starts happening to him and others across South London.
2	"Tazer"	Rapman	Rapman	27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)
Four Londoners reel from the discovery of their powers, while another knows exactly how to make the most of his. Michael desperately looks for answers.
3	"Sabrina"	Sebastian Thiel	Rapman	27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)
Sabrina and Sharleen plan a night out after a long day. The Tower Boys get into a fight that leaves Tazer swearing revenge. Michael comes up with a plan.
4	"Andre"	Sebastian Thiel	Rapman	27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)
Sabrina resolves to turn herself in from the Onyx murder, but the police say there was no murder reported, and Sabrina finds the body missing. Andre makes a dangerous decision after the bailiffs pay him a visit to rob a local gang hideout. Rodney's business slows down, and Dionne meets the mother of a missing girl, Jasmine. Her parents tell Dionne she was taken and has the power to heal. Dionne figures out that agents are kidnapping Black individuals who show powers and that all of them have parents who have sickle cell disease. Spud is taken and beaten up by the Sixes for selling weed. Michael finds Sabrina by using the names on packages and resolves to go with Sabrina and Char, but his mom has a sickle cell flare-up, and he teleports away to help her. The other four all converge on the gang hideout- Andre to steal the money, Sabrina to protect Char as she buys weed, Rodney to find his friend Spud, and Tazer to kill Krazy and the Sixes. The four encounter each other and flee separately after fighting with their powers.
5	"Rodney"	Sebastian Thiel	Rapman	27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)
Rodney visits his mum, who is married to a racist white man, and she refuses to let him stay with her. With his best friend in hospital, Rodney has a change of heart. Michael resolves to tell Dionne everything, but Rodney comes to him, saying he wants to help find the others before he can. Andre is recovering after his encounter with the others while Michael and Rodney try to locate him. Sabrina is promoted at work, while Krazy physically assaults Shar. Sabrina realizes that Char is now missing. Tazer and his gang are resolved to take down Krazy's gang, and Tazer assaults the girl who set them up with the Sixes while also following his family. Dionne is told by Jasmine's parents where the hooded men are taking superhumans, and they explain that Jasmine was taken and can heal others with her power. Tazer and his gang are pulled over by the police but Tazer escapes by becoming invisible. Andre is attacked by one of the hooded men who matches his strength and he is apprehended by them. Sabrina, Michael, and Rodney meet up, realizing that Shar and Andre may have been taken by the same people. Tazer is also attacked by the hooded men but escapes with the help of Sabrina, Michael, and Rodney.
6	"Supacell"	Rapman	Rapman	27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)
Dionne finds the abandoned Ashington Estate where the hooded men are based and travels there, and Michael teleports to her. Michael finally tells Dionne what he saw in the future. Andre is taken by the hooded men, and it is explained to him that superpowers are a mutation of sickle cell they've deemed "supacell", and the Organization offers him a job to bring in others with supacell. Michael explains what he saw in the future to Sabrina, Rodney, and Tazer. Krazy calls and threatens Tazer. The stakes are high as Tazer and Sabrina both search for Krazy, who instructs them to meet him at A-Town (aka the Ashington Estate) that night. Rodney and Sabrina also converge on A-Town. Sabrina, Rodney and Michael confront Krazy and the Sixes, and Tazer arrives as well. Krazy reveals he is a supacell as well, and has the power to replicate others powers, and more hooded men arrive. It is revealed that all of the hooded individuals also have supacell powers, including Andre. With powers pushed beyond their limit, the five must unite to save the ones they love. In the ensuing fight, Krazy tries to kill them all, but Michael rewinds time and stops him. A stray bullet then hits Dionne and kills her; Michael does not have enough power left to rewind time again and wails as she dies. Some time later, the five gather and Michael tells them his intention to go to the future to find out more and get revenge against the Organization. Shar is revealed to be captured by the Organization, thinking she was the one with powers. The boss of the Organization is revealed to be the manager of the sickle cell treatment center Michael's mother is in treatment at, and orders Krazy killed before stating that the Organization would now do things her way.

Broadcast

The series was broadcast on Netflix on 27 June 2024. ^{[12] [13]}

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 100% of 12 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. ^[14] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the series a score of 71 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. ^[15] Leila Latif of The Guardian awarded the first episode four out of five stars, dubbing it 'an absolute riot, strikingly performed and bracingly plotted'. ^[16] Aramide Tinubu of Variety praised the series' unique perspective on the genre with its characters and settings, remarking '“Supacell” considers how individualism has caused fractures in Western societies, specifically in Black communities that previously thrived because of collectivity. The show also reflects on why our dependence on technology undoubtedly comes at a cost.' ^[17]

The series has raised awareness of life with sickle cell disease. ^[2]

References

1. Vickers-Green, Laura (10 March 2023). "Supacell: The Black British Superhero Show Set To Turn Marvel and DC On Their Heads". Den of Geek. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
2. "Hit Netflix Show Supacell is Raising Awareness of Sickle Cell Anaemia". www.westlondonhcc.nhs.uk. 11 July 2024. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
3. Grater, Tom (30 November 2021). "Netflix Commissions Five UK Series: Rapman Superhero Show; 'One Day' Adaptation; Abi Morgan Thriller". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
4. Mishra, Shristy (11 August 2022). "Tosin Cole to Lead Netflix Superhero Drama 'Supacell'". Collider. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
5. Bamigboye, Baz (11 August 2022). "Netflix's 'Supacell': '61st Street' Star Tosin Cole To Lead 'Blue Story' Creator Rapman's Superhero Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
6. Phelan, Zehra (27 April 2023). "Eddie Marsan joins cast of Rapman & Netflix series 'Supacell'". heyuguys. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
7. Asatryan, Tigran (27 April 2023). "Netflix Superhero Series 'Supacell': What We Know So Far". Whats-on-Netflix. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
8. Ramirez, Isabel (1 April 2024). "New superhero Netflix series 'Supacell' was filmed around Peckham and Deptford". Southwark News. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
9. Copson, Josie (27 April 2023). "Rapman's South London Netflix superhero series will use groundbreaking camera technology that compliments Black skin in a first for UK TV" . Retrieved 4 July 2023.
10. "U.K. Rapper Rapman Announces Black Superhero Series "Supacell' Coming To Netflix". allhiphop. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
11. Whittock, Jesse (27 April 2023). "'Supacell': Eddie Marsan Joins Rapman's Netflix Drama About South London Superheroes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
12. Craig, David (19 March 2024). "Rapman's superpowered Netflix series Supacell unveils action-packed trailer". Radio Times. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
13. Netflix (12 June 2024). Supacell | Official Trailer | Netflix . Retrieved 12 June 2024– via YouTube.
14. "Supacell". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 6 July 2024.
15. "Supacell". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
16. Latif, Leila (27 June 2024). "Supacell review – these superpowered Black Londoners are an absolute riot". The Guardian.
17. "Netflix's 'Supacell' is a Bold and Daring Drama About Black Superheroes: TV Review". 26 June 2024.

External links

• Supacell at IMDb