Rapman Hints At Studios "Reaching Out" After 'SupaCell' Success
EXCLUSIVE: ‘SupaCell’ Creator Rapman Says He Is Not Here To “Take Kevin Feige’s Job,” He Just Wants To Tell Stories
Regarding comic book movie universes, Marvel Studios and, in some aspects, the DCU have that on lock. But could Netflix have its own with its hit original series SupaCell?
Rapman, the creator and director of SupaCell, knew he had something special when he began working on the series. Still, he couldn’t foresee how much of a cultural phenomenon it would become.
In an interview with BuzzFeed, the admitted blerd grew up collecting X-Men cards and watching Marvel and DC properties when he was younger but always felt he didn’t see himself in those shows.
He always imagined what it would look like for people in the real world he lives in to have powers, and the idea sat in the back of his head till he finally figured out how to get off paper and in front of cameras.
In the show that he doesn’t describe as a superhero show but a show about normal people with powers, we follow a group of Black South Londoners, Tosin Cole, Josh Tedeku, Nadine Mills, Calvine Demba, and Eric Kofi-Abrefa who discover they have abilities.
Source: Netflix / Supacell
But there is a clever twist: Rapman brilliantly flips Sickle Cell disease, turning it from a debilitating genetic condition that affects Black people at an alarming rate to be the catalyst in giving the Black locals in South London superpowers.
Cassius Life’s Bernard “Beanz” Smalls spoke with Rapman and we got to dig in deep on some topics we know many are thinking about after watching his brilliant Netflix series.
Rapman Knew He Had A Good Show, But Wasn’t Sure If It Would “Take Over The World”
Source: Netflix / SupaCell
Rapman had the utmost confidence in SupaCell, but he also admitted that he was not too sure how well the public would receive the series. He let his cast know they were a part of something great.
Honestly, I did tell my cast that, ‘This show’s going to take over the world.’
“Honestly, I did tell my cast that, ‘This show’s going to take over the world.’ I was talking like that, but that’s just my energy. I always talk about what I want it to be. But I wasn’t shy. I wanted to take over the world,” Rapman begins. “So I always speak what I want. So I spoke it and hoped it, and I thought it was good enough to do it. But I was never a hundred percent sure that it was going to happen. So, I appreciate the love that came from it because I wasn’t a hundred percent, but I was a hundred percent sure that it was a good project, and it should do that. But if you ask any of my cast, they will tell you, “‘Rapman said, Rapman said, Rapman said.'”
The Show’s Particular Use of Weapons
Source: Netflix / SupacCell
As the series gained popularity on social media, fans quickly noticed its approach to weapons use, preferably the use of knives and bats by the young gang members and the lack of guns.
Rapman explained that there are guns in London and why the younger characters in his show don’t use them.
“Okay, well, we have guns in London—a hundred percent. It’s not something that is hidden. But the youngers, the young people in that age group, the Tazer in that, the teenagers can’t hold guns at that age until they start making money, ” he explains to Cassius Life.
He continues, “So before they start making money to buy guns, the weapon of choice for that age group in London is a knife. It is easily accessible, and you can take it from your mom’s kitchen drawer if you want. And they really get busy with these knives. So, if you notice in the show when they did actually make some money, they did buy guns. So, they did buy guns eventually. But I wanted it to be as realistic as possible. And these kids are not just displaying enough money to buy guns. They’re robbing delivery drivers until they decide to change their line of work. So they weren’t making enough money. And the guns in the UK, they’re pretty expensive from what I have been told.”
Turning A Weakness Into A Strength
Source: Netflix / SupaCell
As mentioned earlier, SupaCell brilliantly turns the genetic disease Sickle Cell into something that gives the series characters different abilities, such as super strength, super speed, invisibility, or the ability to teleport and manipulate time.
Rapman explained that he used his series to raise awareness about the disease, which he admits he didn’t fully understand.
I wanted to flip a weakness into a strength, man.
“I wanted to flip a weakness into a strength, man. And I never understood why there’s a disease that predominantly affects Blacks,” he begins. “No one talks about why this disease only affects Blacks, so I wanted to raise awareness. I wanted to shed light on it. I wanted people with it to feel seen and comfortable and let them know it’s not a big deal. You can’t catch it by kissing them, touching them, any intercourse with them. It’s in that person’s blood. It’s not coming into your blood. It doesn’t work like that. I just wanted people to be educated on it, man. And just for the fact that it’s a weakness in our society, I just wanted to try and help it.”
Building A Supacell Superhero Universe Was Not The Goal
Source: Netflix / SupaCell
As you can imagine, SupaCell is sparking conversations among fans that this show has the potential to be its own universe, which would be amazing.
However, the series creator didn’t aim for a “Rapman universe” with SupaCell. Still, he admits that he is down to continue telling the stories of the reluctant superheroes.
“No, I wasn’t coming to create a whole comic book universe. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t. I’m just a massive nerd for the genre but never saw a version of the show that related to us,” Rapman said.
I didn’t come to be a Black Stan Lee. And I love Stan Lee, I think he’s a genius. But I knew I could tell a story in that world.
“Now you take that Black Lightning and Black Panther and take out Marvel and DC, where do you see anything with us in that space? So I didn’t come to take Kevin Feige’s job. I didn’t come to be a Black Stan Lee. And I love Stan Lee, I think he’s a genius. But I knew I could tell a story in that world. So I’m ready to carry on the show, but you’ll see me doing other genres. I’m not here for just for the comic book genre. I’m a storyteller, and my thing is more characters. I like stories with strong characters, like characters that are memorable.”
Why Dionne Was So “Annoying?”
Source: Netflix / SupaCell
SupaCell focuses on five characters whose abilities are triggered by situations they are dealing with. The main story revolves around Tosin Cole’s character, Michael, and his girlfriend/fiancée, Dionne (Adelayo Adedayo).
Michael teleports to a future where he learns of Dionne’s death and discovers others like him. Returning to the present, he tries desperately to prevent his partner’s demise. Still, throughout the series, she makes it extremely difficult, causing her to become a topic of discussion on social media.
We had to ask Rapman if he was hip about the discourse around the character, and he made a very compelling point about her behavior.
“I haven’t been outside. Since the show came out, I’ve been in and out of the States, and I haven’t really been walking around. But I’ve read things on Twitter and stuff like that. And there’s a big picture going around that’s viral, and this is the visual picture of, “I don’t listen to my man,” and it’s a picture of Dionne.
“But you have to understand, everyone’s saying that she should have listened, she should have drove off. She tried to drive off and was convinced that wasn’t the day she was going to die because she got given a death date.” He adds, “She has no reason to believe that day’s going to change, cried her eyes out over it. She doesn’t want to go, But she’s going to go home and leave her man on a battlefield; who knows what he’s doing? Think last you saw of her man; he was getting blown up, unconscious, carried into portals. So she’s just going to go home, watch TV, and just hope that he comes through the door anytime soon. People have to understand human nature. She doesn’t want to leave her person, you know?”
Have Other Studios Like Marvel or DC Reached Out?
Source: Netflix / SupaCell
With a series like SupaCell putting Rapman on Hollywood’s radar, you have to wonder if he caught the attention of certain studios because his superhero series caught fire.
While not saying who, Rapman did confirm to us that he “might” have talked to some people at other studios, letting us know that if they want his services, one particular condition has to be met.
my biggest thing is that I only tell stories with the lead has to be Black
“I might have been reached out to already. And look, if you look at the IP of Marvel for me, my biggest thing is that I only tell stories with the lead has to be Black,” Rapman tells Cassius Life. “It doesn’t have to be an all Black cast, but the lead has to be Black. That’s my thing for now. I’m still early in my career, and I’m here to put on. So when I look at all the characters in Marvel or DC or anywhere else with all Black characters, there’s not many stories that excite me.”
He continues, “But you know what? There’s many comics I haven’t read, so I would never say never. But I do feel like with those places, it’s hard to put your own spin on it because there’s IP that they have to kind of adhere to. Whereas in the SupaCell Universe or the Rapman Universe, whatever you want to call it, the rules are, there ain’t no rules, bro. Anyone can go anytime. I can just make up as I go along. I don’t have to tie it into a book or a comic. So I would never say never because I’m a massive fan of Marvel and DC. But in my dream world, I’d rather get the money to develop my world.”
