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 features an ensemble cast, including Tosin Cole, Nadine Mills, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Calvin Demba, Josh Tedeku and Adelayo Adedayo. Set in modern-day South London, the series is about a group of five ordinary Black British people, unified by family history of sickle cell disease. The sickle cell issues manifest as a super cell ("supacell") in their bodies when they unexpectedly develop superpowers, and this leads to them being pursued by a secret organization that intends to control them. The series was a difficult sell to US broadcasters, and was rejected by HBO, ABC, and FX. Netflix picked it up 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 in the South London boroughs of Southwark, Lewisham and Bexley. The series explores themes such as knife crime, racial profiling, poverty, and the exploitation of Black bodies. Supacell premiered on 27 June 2024 and received positive reviews from critics. In August 2024, the series was renewed for a second season.