“[Studios] never expect [black films] to do well overseas,” she says. “Meanwhile, you go overseas and what do you see? People trying to look like African-Americans with Afros and dressing in hip-hop fashions. To say that black culture doesn’t sell well overseas, that’s a lie. Somebody just doesn’t want to do their job and promote the film overseas. Do you not have people streaming my Christmas specials in Australia? Come on, y’all! I don’t understand the thinking. Send me over there, and if it fails, then we don’t do it again, but why not try? If I knew this movie was gonna make money domestically, I would try to get more money overseas. It’s business!”
The article reports that Screen Gems is definitely looking into pushing the film internationally. Henson sheds light aplenty on other matters in the interview including her training and preparation, and her camaraderie with the film’s stunt team with respect to sequel aspirations:
“I can do anything, that we can do anything as African-American women,” she says. “And I want to do it again. The stunt coordinator was impressed with how fast I caught on, and I said, ‘Just imagine if we had weeks to train!’ If we make a sequel, we’ll be ahead of it.” She laughs while recalling one of the film’s fight sequences she watched with her boyfriend, former NFLer Kelvin Hayden. “He was looking at me scared. He’s sleeping with one eye open now!”
You can read all about it and more at THR while the studio has released a new featurette a week ahead of its U.S. release. I’m especially excited to see this one myself considering how impressive Najafi has been thusfar at his craft. This, along with the crew and the talented stunt professionals behind the leading lady of a franchise vehicle with potential; Last year we had Theron, and this year I would love nothing more than to add Henson to the roster.
