'Game Of Thrones' Creators' Slavery Drama 'Confederate' Gets Frosty Reception On Social Media

'I'm tired of seeing black trauma/slave shows/movies/stories.'
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The news that the creators of ‘Game Of Thrones’ are working on a new drama based around a fictional America, in which slavery was never criminalised, has not gone down well on social media.

On Wednesday (19 July), HBO announced new show ‘Confederate’, set in a fictional southern America in which slavery was never abolished.

'Game Of Thrones' creators David Beniff and D.B. Weiss will helm 'Confederate'
'Game Of Thrones' creators David Beniff and D.B. Weiss will helm 'Confederate'
Lester Cohen via Getty Images

The official announcement read: “‘Confederate’ chronicles the events leading to the Third American Civil War.

“The series takes place in an alternate timeline, where the southern states have successfully seceded from the Union, giving rise to a nation in which slavery remains legal and has evolved into a modern institution.

“The story follows a broad swath of characters on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Demilitarized Zone — freedom fighters, slave hunters, politicians, abolitionists, journalists, the executives of a slave-holding conglomerate and the families of people in their thrall.”

Unsurprisingly, the new show has been met with a frosty reception on Twitter, with many calling for TV executives to come up with more roles for black actors than simply slaves and other oppressed individuals, while pointing out that many are still the victims of serious racism.

Others have suggested that with too many white executives in charge, there’s a lot of potential for the tricky subject to be tackled insensitively, particularly given critiques of ‘Game Of Thrones’ over similar issues in recent years.

We can't get more #StillStarCrossed, but #HBO is green lighting a white fantasy slave drama built on black pain. pic.twitter.com/JLFOvT75aD

— Bi & Bougie (@biancajand) July 20, 2017

Don't care bout the HBO show. Just tired of seeing black trauma/slave shows/movies/stories.

— Zito (@_Zeets) July 19, 2017

Maybe visuals will change my feelings on this but I think the skepticism is fair. I enjoy GOT but can't help but notice

— Other 🌞 (@alwayslat8) July 20, 2017

the only place for poc in that imaginative universe seems to be centered around a slave experience. An experience GOT didn't handle well

— Other 🌞 (@alwayslat8) July 20, 2017

So a mostly white HBO with a mostly white audience hires two entirely white guys to do a slave show. #Confederate https://t.co/YTOnGyB8hM

— EdReal (@Ed_Realist) July 19, 2017

the game of thrones creators slavery show will have at least one good slave master who feels bad but cant do anything, because of the system

— Tom McKay (@thetomzone) July 20, 2017

.@HBO is going in the wrong step if they really choose to develop this new slave drama.

— boba butt (@downblanket) July 20, 2017

HBO: ok get this

Me: ok

HBO: what if white people were racist

Me: um

HBO: and black people were oppressed

Me: I,

HBO: WHAT IF HUH

Me: pic.twitter.com/HGln0B3b3Q

— Ted, Hungry Ghost (@teioh) July 20, 2017

Two white guys making a show where black slavery features prominently. This is profoundly tone deaf.

— Logan Rapp (@Loganchance) July 19, 2017

Black Hollywood actors should stand up against this new HBO show because I don't want to see Black people getting whipped and lynched on TV!

— Becca🕊 (@MJStarLover) July 20, 2017

What if black members of the Screen Actors Guild boycott @HBO's #Confederate?

No slaves. No show. ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/RxZkOZg3Wd

— Marcus Philippus (@MP4TH) July 20, 2017

thinking about black actors being forced to take part in hbo's confederate bc of the lack of opportunities and it makes me sick

— emily (@drownedsailors) July 20, 2017

HBO is making a show that takes place in an “alternate timeline” where the elslavement of black people is a legal institution.

Wow.

— King Kortney👑 (@fakerapper) July 19, 2017

Black people cant detach themselves from slavery. That shit ain't a fictional narrative for us, no matter how HBO tries to flip it.

— Haze (@GodSon83) July 19, 2017

#HBO wanna put out confederate trash... pic.twitter.com/oejQbuTEIL

— S.F Waniewski (@SF1newski) July 19, 2017

"HBO's new series CONFEDERATE is-"
Nope. Nope. Nope. Whole lotta nope. Noppity Nil. Leslie Knope. Nah. pic.twitter.com/2FzsAI2DBd

— Alan Kistler@SDCC (@SizzlerKistler) July 19, 2017

The news comes as ‘Star Wars’ actor John Boyega specifically called out ‘Game Of Thrones’ in a recent interview, expressing his frustration that certain franchises weren’t pulling their weight when it comes to black representation.

‘Game Of Thrones’ will come to an end in 2018, with the penultimate series kicking off earlier this week here in the UK.

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