Netflix just announced it’s making a new heist movie starring Rihanna and Lupita Nyong’o based on a viral Tumblr post of the two performers at a fashion show.
It’s directed by Ava Du Vernay, outspoken director of Selma and 13th. It all goes back to a meme created by Tumblr user Roxy. She created a photo post in July 2014 taken from designer Miu Miu’s March fashion show of Rihanna and Nyong’o with the caption: “They look like they’re in a heist movie with Rihanna as the tough-as-nails leader/master thief and Lupita as the genius computer hacker.”
Others added to the concept:
Rihanna looks like she scams rich white men and lupita is the computer smart best friend that helps plan the scans https://t.co/PhWs1xd3nj
— WHOOPHERASSKOURTNI (@1800SADGAL) April 18, 2017
After Nyong’o tipped off Rihanna about the meme, the project got off the ground with Du Vernay directing and Issa Rae, the creator of Insecure, writing the script. Vox called it a “Hollywood Dream Team” collaboration. Left-wingers are happy at the news (those who can remember the Snakes on a Plane fiasco might be less thrilled).
Many of you might be thinking “NOT INTERESTED” about this latest crowd-sourced initiative or respond, “Thanks Rihanna, but I’ll be hiding under my ‘umbrella’ for this one, if you don’t mind.”
But don’t stop reading. It’s actually interesting because all the Twitter warriors ‘invested’ in this movie, not content with succeeding in getting Netflix to make this happen, are now giving the streaming giant unsolicited script notes on the project that they claim credit for.
They mostly revolve around redressing Hollywood’s alleged lesbian celluloid disorder:
Rihanna and Lupita would be the cutest lesbian couple pleaaaseth!!! I need it!!
— Kiara (@flakeypecan) May 23, 2017
I really hope this movie with Rihanna and Lupita turns out to be extremly gay bc I need me some sapphic content
— Mona is in love 💋 (@sexyfishback) May 22, 2017
@nicokarolina Lupita’s character has to be a lesbian Rihanna’s character can make cute jokes about getting her a girl and all it would be do good
— ㅤleo (@translexa) May 22, 2017
Idris Elba, who through no fault of his own, seems to be getting dragged into movie controversies on a daily basis, found himself namechecked with ‘The Ethnic Threat’ observing: “One way Lupita-Rihanna movie could improve is if Idris Elba is involved somehow, maybe as a love interest, gay friend, or gay love interest.”
Most bizarre of all, Out Magazine published a feature saying Zoe Kravitz should play Rihanna’s lover and there should be a role for Blue Ivy Carter, 5 year-old daughter of Beyonce and Jay-Z.
One hopes Netflix will resist the lunatics who believe they are running the Rihanna-Lupita asylum. Because on the basis of their suggestions, they have lost the plot.
But then the whole point of this “experiment’ was that there was no plot to begin with!
