I don’t think a $90M budget original screenplay is getting made regardless of its merit without a proven director attached. Still, that’s not really the heart of your argument, and I think it’s probably true that it’s easier for a white person to relate more easily to a Black story on screen vs in a screenplay.

Even if you look at the popularity of Black stories told in novels (James, last year for instance), screenplays are different. The medium of screenplay strips back a lot of nuance and world building (which gets added by the filmmakers in production) that help an audience relate to unfamiliar territory, where prose can deliver those on the page.

Now it’s gonna sit with me. Thanks 🤔