ABC7 Unite: Newark drive-in theater to show 'Black Panther' during 'Chadwick Boseman Tribute Week'

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Nj drive-in theater to show 'Black Panther'
Darla Miles reports on the movie theater in Newark paying tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A Newark movie theater is on a mission to highlight African-American films, with their latest endeavor paying tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.

Newark Moonlight Cinema in the city's downtown neighborhood, was launched in July, by award-winning filmmaker, Ayana Stafford-Morris and real estate developer, Siree Morris.

Their mission is to highlight African American films, filmmakers, and actors and actresses.

The Newark natives welcomed over 10,000 guests in their first seven weeks of operation, and announced Friday that the season, originally scheduled to close October 4, is now extended to December 6.

ABC7 Unite Stories | Harlem toy store combines fun and education for kids

ABC7 Unite highlights Grandma's Place, a Harlem toy store that is providing fun and valuable educational resources for kids.

"We are excited to extend the Moonlight season at this site," Morris said. "As we enter the autumn period, we are diversifying the entertainment experiences offered at Newark Moonlight, and the extension of the season enables us to expand partnerships and create more value for our guests."

This week in particular, Moonlight is making good on providing value for their guests.

Starting on Thursday, the theater launched 'Chadwick Boseman Tribute Week,' a several-day-long commemoration highlighting films starring the late actor.

RELATED | 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman dies of cancer at 43

"This weekend, we mourn a great loss to our community, and what feels like our own family," Morris said. "We will celebrate the legacy of Chadwick Boseman, the great Black Panther, our Forever King, the only way we know how, by gathering as a community - yes, at a social distance - reliving the great moments of Chadwick's art, and leaning on each other as we process this loss. This is a celebration of his life as we grieve with and pray for his true family."

The tribute began with a showing of "Get On Up" on Thursday, and will be followed by "21 Bridges" Friday night.

But the real treat comes this weekend, when guests will be able to catch viewings of "Black Panther," Saturday and Sunday night.

The owners said it was no small feat, and that it took a licensing battle to obtain the rights to showcase the film at Moonlight Cinema.

As a pop-up drive-in theater, Newark Moonlight was at the bottom of the list of theaters to become authorized to play the film, even prior to the passing of Boseman.

Initially, the owners attempted to obtain Black Panther as part of Newark Moonlight's, 'Michael B. Jordan Grand Opening Week' lineup but were denied.

The theater then requested the feature after the announcement of the passing of Boseman, and were denied again.

It took a heartfelt letter of appeal from Moonlight leadership to Marvel Studios and Disney Studios and a community supported social media campaign to obtain permission to show the film.

For all their hard work and effort, the theater will now show the film this weekend, and are encouraging all guests to wear African garb in tribute to the Wakandan King, T'Challa, played by the late actor and hero, Chadwick Boseman.

MORE ABC 7 UNITE

See more stories at abc7NY.com/unite

SEND STORY IDEAS TO EYEWITNESS NEWS

Watch Here & Now

Here & Now episode archive

RESOURCES

We are also publishing resources in a range of areas, which will grow and can be found below:

Ways to Help

Black Lives Matter

Black Voters Matter Fund

NAACP

National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

Voices of Community Activists & Leaders (VOCAL-NY)

Black LGBTQIA + Migrants Project

Teaching the Next Generation

Black Lives Matter at School

Creating Space To Talk About Racism At Your School

Teaching for Black Lives - Rethinking Schools

Black-Owned Bookstores in New York and New Jersey

Cafe con Libros (Brooklyn)

Grandma's Place (Harlem)

Sister's Uptown (Manhattan)

Source of Knowledge (Newark)

The Lit. Bar (Bronx)

The Little Boho Bookshop (Bayonne)

Books

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children In A Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Podcasts

1619

Black Wall Street 1921

Jemele Hill is Unbothered

Still Processing:

Movies

American Son: Available on Netflix

If Beale Street Could Talk: Available on Hulu

Just Mercy: Available on Amazon Prime

Selma: Available on Amazon Prime

The Hate U Give: Available on Amazon Prime

When They See Us: Available on Netflix

Documentaries

13th: Available on Netflix

America Inside Out with Katie Couric: Available on National Geographic

Becoming: Available on Netflix

I am Not Your Negro: Available on YouTube