moses-the-black-omar-epps
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Ryan O'Rourke
Published 32 minutes ago
Ryan O'Rourke is a Senior News Writer at Collider with a specific interest in all things adult animation, video game adaptations, and the work of Mike Flanagan. He is also an experienced baseball writer with over six years of articles between multiple outlets, most notably FanSided's CubbiesCrib. Whether it's taking in a baseball game, a new season of Futurama or Castlevania: Nocturne, or playing the latest From Software title, he is always finding ways to show his fandom. When it comes to gaming and anything that takes inspiration from it, he is deeply opinionated on what's going on. Outside of entertainment, he's a graduate of Eureka College with a Bachelor's in Communication where he honed his craft as a writer. Between The IV Leader at Illinois Valley Community College and The Pegasus at Eureka, he spent the majority of his college career publishing articles on everything from politics to campus happenings and, of course, entertainment for the student body. Those principles he learned covering the 2020 election, Palestine, and so much more are brought here to Collider, where he has gleefully written on everything from the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes to Nathan Lane baby-birding sewer boys.
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Omar Epps is about to walk in the footsteps of Moses the Black in the upcoming film named for the titular saint. Fathom Entertainment is set to premiere the new crime drama on January 30, 2026, featuring the House star as a Chicago gang leader named Malik, whose years of misdeeds catch up with him as he tries to seek redemption. Ahead of the premiere next month, Collider can exclusively reveal the official teaser trailer, showing just how messy Malik's journey to potentially righting his wrongs is. In a reflection of his modern-day tale, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star Chukwudi Iwuji appears as the fifth-century saint himself, once a violent gang leader like Malik who turned his life around and became a symbol of forgiveness.
The footage opens on Malik just as he's getting out of prison. Although he's free from the confines of a cell, however, he's not truly free from the life of crime he led. Moses the Black is directly inspired by the story of its titular saint, one that the gangster learns about during his time behind bars and seemingly takes to heart. With a partner to come home to, he seems ready to leave everything behind, though that proves to be easier said than done, with violence all around him and potential usurpers rising to take his place. From beneath him, there's 2wo-3ree, a volatile voice within his gang who is galvanizing Malik's young crew, while his arch-rival, Straw, looms as a threat to everything he holds dear. Further underscoring his difficult path of redemption, scenes of Moses the Black's journey from feared criminal to saint are intertwined with Malik's struggles with the killings and police interrogations that follow him as one of Chicago's most notorious crooks.
Although he's been a prominent face on television, whether as Dr. Eric Foreman in House or as Malcolm Howard in Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Epps has also been a regular presence on the big screen from Love & Basketball to Dracula 2000 and, more recently, The Deliverance. For his leading turn in Moses the Black, he and Iwuji are joined by a pair of Grammy nominees in Wiz Khalifa and Quavo. The "See You Again" artist is making just his second appearance on the big screen in the role of 2wo-3ree, while Quavo was tapped to play Straw. Both artists were also involved in the making of the original soundtrack, with Khalifa composing and Quavo among the featured artists. Rounding out the cast are Corey Hendrix, Cliff Chamberlain, Ahmad Ferguson, Sambou “Bubba” Camara, Kierra Bunch, Skilla Baby, and Deontay Wilder.
Who Else Is Behind 'Moses the Black'?
At the helm as both writer and director is Yelena Popovic in her third feature effort. After making her directorial debut with 2013's L.A. Superheroes, she delivered the Greek biographical drama Man of God in 2021, following another prominent saint, Nektarios of Aegina. Both Epps and Khalifa joined her as executive producers alongside music legend, Power star, production giant, and Emmy winner Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. In a recent statement about Moses the Black, he spoke to the sheer heart that the film presents in its story about turning over a new leaf before it's too late. “This film is about redemption and real change. It’s raw, it’s emotional, and it’s powerful. I can’t wait for audiences to see it."
Moses the Black premieres exclusively in theaters on January 30. Check out the exclusive trailer in the player above.
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