Exciting LGBT-inclusive entertainment to look forward to in 2016!
As a great year for the LGBT community winds down, there is still plenty for LGBT audiences to look forward to in the new year. Here are just a few of the exciting series and films to keep an eye out for in 2016.
Feature film About Ray follows Ray (Elle Fanning), a teenage transgender boy, and his dramatic family including his single mother Maggie (Naomi Watts), grandmother Dolly (Susan Sarandon) and her partner Frances (Linda Emond). The film follows Ray as he anxiously trys to get his parents’ permission to start hormone therapy before changing schools. But Maggie must confront her demons as Ray’s father (who has been long estranged from the family) is also required to sign the parental consent form. Originally titled Three Generations, The Weinstein Company acquired About Ray at Cannes in May with a deal that included a 500-minimum screen commitment. The retitled film was initially scheduled to be released in September this year, but was delayed and will likely arrive in theaters early in 2016.
The highly anticipated antihero film Deadpool, based off the Marvel character of the same name, hits theaters February 12 in North America and February 4 in the UK. Ryan Reynolds stars as the darkly twisted and outrageous mercenary Wade Wilson/Deadpool who was subjected to an experiment designed to give him regenerative healing powers in an effort to cure his inoperable cancer. Deadpool then decides to use his new skills and identity to hunt down the men who ruined his life. Director Tim Miller told press this fall that Deadpool is pansexual, while comic series writer Gerry Duggan has called the character “omnisexual.” It’s yet to be seen how Deadpool’s sexuality will play out on screen, but the inclusion of a queer lead character in a major superhero movie is worth noting. Check out the trailer below, warning for explicit language and violence.
London Spy, the espionage thriller/relationship drama starring out actor Ben Whishaw, is set to have its U.S. premiere on Thursday, January 21 on BBC America. The five-part original series by novelist Tom Rob Smith tells the story of Danny (Whishaw), who leaves his world of clubbing and youthful excess behind when his investment banker boyfriend Alex (Edward Holcroft) disappears. Danny finds himself drawn into the dangerous world of espionage as he works to uncover the truth about what really happened to Alex. The series aired in the UK this fall to positive reviews, watch a clip from the first episode below.
Starring out actors Jonathan Groff, Russell Tovey and Daniel Franzese, HBO’s Looking will take viewers to San Francisco one last time in the form of a film giving audiences closure on the various characters. The TV show that centered on the lives of a group of gay men as they tackled careers, love, family and friendship ran for two seasons before being cancelled. “We’re really excited to take the next step in the stories, and I don’t know if I’d call it a wrap-up because I don’t think anything on Looking has a very tidy ending to it, but I think it’s a great final chapter that will send our characters off in their next direction,” series creator Michael Lannan said in an interview with The Advocate. The project is currently in in post-production after finishing principal photography and is expected to air early in 2016.
Amazon has picked up the dark comedy One Mississippi from out actress and comedian Tig Notaro for a full season. The series is loosely based on Notaro’s own life and she stars as a stand-up comic who returns to her hometown of Bay Saint Lucille, Mississippi to deal with the unexpected death of her mother, her own health issues, and trying to figure out her life and relationships after losing the one person who truly understood her. The One Mississippi pilot is available to watch now on Amazon free with a Prime membership.
The new sci-fi drama Shadowhunters is set to premiere January 12 on Freeform, the network formerly known as ABC Family. The show is based on the popular The Mortal Instruments novels by Cassandra Clare, which follows 18-year-old Clary Fray who finds out that she is a Shadowhunter, or a human-angel hybrid who hunts demons. After Clary’s mother is kidnapped, she enters the world of demon hunting with fellow Shadowhunters Jace, Isabelle, and closeted Alec (Matthew Daddario). Also involved is Magnus Bane (Harry Shum, Jr.), the bisexual high warlock of Brooklyn, who becomes involved with Alec. Netflix has also acquired global rights to the series and will premiere new episodes weekly following the U.S. premiere on Freeform. Check out a sneak peek below.
The 2016 Sundance Film Festival takes place in Park City, Utah next month and will include the premiere of several LGBT-inclusive films. The festival has always been one of the most LGBT-inclusive mainstream film fests with LGBT classics like Pariah, Keep The Lights On, Longtime Companion and more all having gotten their start at Sundance. This year’s slate includes: the Oscar-shortlisted film Viva which follows a father and son in Cuba as they struggle to understand each other while also escaping from the other’s expectations; the documentary Suited about Bindle & Keep tailor company which makes custom suits for gender non-conforming people; the documentary Kiki which looks at safe spaces created and governed by LGBT youths of color, and many more. Check out our full list of LGBT-inclusive films screening at Sundance here.
Sitcom The Real O’Neals premieres on ABC on March 8. The series, which is loosely based on the life of Dan Savage, follows a seemingly perfect Catholic family whose lives take an unexpected turn when middle son Kenny (Noah Galvin) comes out. The rest of the family reveal their own surprising secrets and the honesty inspires the family to stop pretending to be perfect and start being real with each other.
Several docu-series spotlighting transgender people will return for new seasons in 2016. In 2015, E!’s I Am Cait premiered and followed former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner as she shared her journey with millions, and gave several trans advocates a platform to share how their own experiences differed from her. TLC’s I Am Jazz centers on trans teen Jazz Jennings and her family as she juggles high school, dating, and being an advocate. Fuse’s Transcendent follows a group of trans women of color who perform at the legendary San Francisco restaurant AsiaSF.
Many LGBT-inclusive scripted series will also return for new seasons next year. Some highlights include The CW’s post-apocalyptic drama The 100 which revealed at the end of last season that lead character Clarke is bisexual. The show will be introducing a new female love interest for Clarke in a new trading post worker she meets while living undercover. Also returning is CBS’ sci-fi drama Person of Interest, which revealed that hacker Root and assassin Shaw had feelings for each other last year, for a truncated fifth season. Keep up to date with LGBT-inclusive programming with GLAAD’s weekly Must-See LGBT TV column.
These are just a few of the exciting LGBT-inclusive releases set for 2016. Let us know what you’re looking forward to in the comments below!
www.glaad.org/blog/exciting-lgbt-inclusive-entertainment-look-forward-2016
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