Supacell

''Supacell'' is a 2024 British superhero television series, created and written by Rapman for Netflix. It was directed by Rapman and Sebastian Thiel, and premiered with six episodes on 27 June 2024.

Set in modern-day South London, the series is about a group of five ordinary black people, unified by family history of sickle cell disease. They unexpectedly develop superpowers and are pursued by a secret organisation who intends to control them. The series features an ensemble cast including; Tosin Cole, Adelayo Adedayo, Josh Tedeku, Nadine Mills, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Calvin Demba, Ghetts, Digga D, and Eddie Marsan. The series was a difficult sell to US broadcasters such as HBO, ABC, and FX. Netflix took it on in late 2019, ahead of the release of Rapman's feature-length film debut '' Blue Story''. The development and writing process took place during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and filming took place between July 2022 and April 2023, throughout South East London. The series explores themes such as knife crime, racial profiling, poverty, the exploitation of black bodies, and sickle cell disease.

''Supacell'' received highly positive reviews from critics and audiences for its performances, direction, writing, cinematography, and visual effects, and for raising awareness of sickle cell disease. Upon its release, the series was number one on Netflix's global Top 10, with more than 18 million viewers in its first few weeks on the platform. In August 2024, the series was renewed for a second season.

Premise

Five black people from South London (a delivery driver, a gang leader, a nurse, a financially-struggling father, and a Cockney drug dealer) are unified by a family history of sickle cell disease and unexpectedly develop superpowers. They discover each other and fend off entrapment by a secret organisation seeking to control them.

Cast

* Tosin Cole as Michael Lasaki, a delivery driver, and a super with the ability to teleport and manipulate time.
* Adelayo Adedayo as Dionne Ofori, Michael's fiancée. She is a social worker.
* Josh Tedeku as Tayo "Tazer" Amusan, the leader of a small gang rivaling Krazy's and Krazy's former protégé, and a super with the ability of invisibility.
* Nadine Mills as Sabrina Clarke, a young woman living with her sister, and a super with the ability of telekinesis.
* Eric Kofi-Abrefa as Andre Simpson, a financially struggling father, and a super with the ability of super strength.
* Calvin Demba as Rodney, a young drug dealer, and a super with the ability of super speed.
* Rayxia Ojo as Sharleen Clarke, Sabrina's sister
* Eddie Marsan as Ray, a leading member of the organization hunting down the supers.
* Giacomo Mancini as Spud, Rodney's friend
* Michael Salami as Gabriel, Michael's friend
* Travis Jay as John, Andre's friend
* Ghetts as Craig "Krazy", the leader of an older gang rivaling Tazer's who is also Tazer's former mentor, with the ability to absorb powers and is working for the organization hunting supers.
* Digga D as Chucky, a member of the Sixers, a gang rivaling Tazer's.
* Robbie Gee as Mr. Johnson, the bereaved father of a missing girl whom Dionne attempts to track down.
* Akai Coleman as Tiny, youngest member of the Tower boy gang.
* Andy Thompson as Twosie, a notable member of the tower boy gang
* Xavien Russell as Dotz, a member of the tower boy gang.
* Mickira Oji as Skreamer, a member of the tower boy gang.
* Sian Brooke as Victoria Kesh
* Amy Brown

Production

Development and writing

Rapman's plans to write a superhero series were first publicised in November 2019, during the promotion of his first feature-length film '' Blue Story''. When asked by actor Junior Afolabi Salokun, who appeared in both ''Blue Story'' and ''Supacell'', about what he would like to write next, Rapman responded with "I want to do a sci-fi one day. I could do something like a ''Misfits'' but a bit deeper. Like imagine someone from where we came from outh London gets powers? Like real powers, like what would man really do with that power?"

The series was a difficult sell to US broadcasters, such as HBO, ABC, and FX, who all rejected it. During a dinner with some UK Netflix executives where Rapman pitched ideas for several shows, such as an untitled football-centric series, ''Supacell'' was successfully commissioned. He began writing the series during the COVID-19 pandemic, following the cancellation of his planned second film ''American Son'', a remake of the 2009 French film ''A Prophet'', starring Russell Crowe and Stephan James, for Paramount Pictures, as a result of the pandemic, and in November 2021, the series was announced in November 2021 with Mouktar Mohammed and Henrietta Lee of New Wave as executive producer and associate producer, respectively. Also executive producing are Anna Ferguson and Steve Searle of Netflix with Mark Hedges as series producer. In August 2024, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.

Casting

In August 2022, Tosin Cole was announced in the lead role along with a cast that included Adelayo Adedayo, Nadine Mills, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Calvin Demba, Josh Tedeku, Rayxia Ojo and Giacomo Mancini. It was later revealed that Eddie Marsan had joined the cast as Ray.

Filming

Filming took place between 4 July and 10 December 2022 in South and South East London. Filming locations included Thamesmead, Peckham, Bermondsey and Deptford. It was reported that the production was using a specialised Arri 35 camera which has been designed to show Black skin in the best and most complimentary way. Filming had wrapped by April 2023.

Episodes

Release

The first season of the series was released on Netflix on 27 June 2024.

In August 2024, the series was renewed for a second season.

Reception

Leila Latif of ''The Guardian'' awarded the first episode four out of five stars, dubbing it "an absolute riot, strikingly performed and bracingly plotted". Aramide Tinubu of ''Variety'' praised the series' unique perspective on the genre with its characters and settings, remarking "''Supacell'' considers how individualism has caused fractures in Western societies, specifically in Black communities that previously thrived because of collectivity. The show also reflects on why our dependence on technology undoubtedly comes at a cost".

The series has raised awareness of life with sickle cell disease.

Accolades

In March 2025, it was nominated for Best Drama Series at both the Royal Television Society Programme Awards and the British Academy Television Awards. At the 2025 British Academy Television Craft Awards, it won Best Scripted Casting.

References

External links

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{{Netflix original current series

2024 British television series debuts
Television shows shot in London
Black British television shows
British English-language television shows
Netflix television dramas
British superhero television series
Television shows set in London
Gangs in fiction