A satire film intended to send a provocative message about race relations bombed at the box office on its opening weekend.
Focus Features' "The American Society of Magical Negroes" took the 9th spot at the box office last weekend, grossing $1,304,270 while playing in 1,147 locations around the U.S.
The film centers around a young man who is recruited to be part of a "society" where Black people use their magical powers to make White people comfortable, so that they don't hurt Black people.
The movie's title plays off a trope of Black characters in films who are set up to help White characters in their pursuits, like Michael Clarke Duncan’s character in "The Green Mile," according to a review from the Los Angeles Times.