Netflix's 'Supacell' Teaser Puts a New Spin on the Superhero Drama
Tosin Cole in "Supacell"
(Photo: Netflix)
There isn't exactly a shortage of superhero content in our pop culture. There's so much it's an open question whether or not the subgenre still has anything worthwhile to say, or if audiences are still interested. (The general Marvel malaise post-Avengers: Endgame hasn't helped counter that argument.) But interesting stories are being told in the superhero space, from Prime Video's cynically subversive The Boys to the offbeat comedy of Hulu's Extraordinary. Now Netflix's Supacell seems poised to join the list, telling the story of five Black South Londoners who suddenly develop superpowers, and whose special abilities put them in danger when they catch the attention of a mysterious institution.
The vibe may be very Misfits, but this show will be its own thing, particularly since stories like these rarely revolve around Black characters and their communities. Former Doctor Who companion Tosin Cole stars as Michael, an everyday workingman unexpectedly gifted with the ability to time travel, who visits the future and learns that the love of his life is fated to die in mere weeks. He and the rest of the group must come together to save her — and maybe each other as well.
Alongside Cole as Michael, the ensemble cast also includes Calvin Demba (The Rig) as Rodney, Josh Tedeku (Boarders) as Tazer, Adelayo Adedayo (The Responder) as Dionne, Rayxia Ojo (Call The Midwife) as Sharleen, Nadine Mills (Sliced) as Sabrina, Eric Kofi Abrefa (BMF) as Andre, and Giacomo Mancini (Top Boy) as Spud.
Here's the series' logline.
Supacell is about a group of five ordinary people who unexpectedly develop superpowers. They have little in common except for one thing: they are all Black South Londoners. It is down to one man, Michael Lasaki, to bring them all together in order to save the woman he loves.
Andrew Onwubolu, better known as Rapman, is the series showrunner, creator, and lead director. He helms Episodes 1, 2, and 6; Episodes 3-5 are directed by Sebastian Thiel (Dreaming Whilst Black). Rapman also serves as an executive producer alongside Anna Ferguson and Steve Searle for Netflix, and Mouktar Mohammed and Henrietta Lee for New Wave. Mark Hedges is Series Producer, and Sheila Nortley is Block 2 Producer and Associate Producer. Geraldine Hawkins is also a Co-Producer.
Supacell doesn't have a confirmed release date yet, but the superhero series is slated to arrive on Netflix sometime this June.
