Kathryn Bigelow is back — and the Oscar winner's new project is an incredibly important one.
The director of Zero Dark Thirty and The Hurt Locker has a new film coming in August, and it's based on an uncomfortable moment in American history. The 1967 race riots in Detroit lasted five days; at least 43 people died, and more than 1,000 were injured.
Detroit stars John Boyega, of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as an African American security guard, during a time of incredible tension between civilians and police. Based on the trailer, it looks like Boyega's character faces hostility from his white colleagues, too.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
The riots illustrated issues of police brutality and racism that plagued the country in the '60s and are still relevant in our political climate today. The movie also stars John Krasinski, Anthony Mackie, Hannah Murray, Jason Mitchell, Will Poulter, and Jacob Latimore.
In the trailer, we see the police storm the Algiers motel after hearing a "gunshot" from a group of Black musicians inside. In reality, it's just a pretend gun, and no one is hurt, but that doesn't stop the cops from opening fire.
During the actual July 1967 events, police raided an unlicensed Detroit bar. The illegal club had been hosting an event to honor veterans, History.com explains, and people didn't want to leave the bar. A crowd gathered to watch the interaction, and riots erupted the same night. The riots lasted five days and led to $50 million in property damages, in addition to the 43 deaths. Roughly 5,000 people became homeless because of the damages, according to History.com.
The riots got bad enough that the National Guard was called, and President Lyndon Johnson sent U.S. troops to the city, too. As Time notes, there were also reports that police officers had killed three Black men at a motel during the riots, which could be the inspiration for the scene in the trailer. Check it out below — this is definitely a film to keep on your radar.