Outlaw Johnny Black Trailer: Michael Jai White’s Black Dynamite Follow-Up Finally Arrives in September

When we first interviewed actor Michael Jai White about his spiritual Black Dynamite follow-up film Outlaw Johnny Black, the year was 2018, and White was preparing for a huge crowdfunding campaign to bring his film to life. This is something that the imposing, physically gifted actor–too many still forget that White was the first Black actor to ever play a superhero in a major motion picture in 1997’s Spawn–had been promising to fans for quite a while, as the clamor for something more in the style of the widely beloved Black Dynamite never ceased. But it wasn’t to be in that moment–the crowdfunding campaign had disappointing results, and Outlaw Johnny Black went on the metaphorical back burner, a project delayed by practicalities and eventually by the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But here we are in 2023, and it seems the film is finally complete, with a Sept. 15 theatrical release date and a new trailer you can view below.

Outlaw Johnny Black is obviously a western parody, this time directed by White himself in his feature film debut. It sees White playing the titular outlaw, who rides into town and is mistaken for a preacher, before taking up the reverend role as an alibi while he hunts for another vicious outlaw. Actor Byron Minns, who played Black Dynamite’s right-hand man Bullhorn, returns as well in a similar supporting role, having likewise co-written the screenplay with White.

One notable absence is Black Dynamite director and co-writer Scott Sanders, and we hate to say that this absence can seemingly be felt looking at the trailer below. Although there are some funny lines, and White’s martial arts prowess is impressive as ever even in his mid-50s, the thoroughly conventional visuals and gags included in the trailer seem to hint at a film that doesn’t carry its satire nearly as far as Black Dynamite did. Where that film was not only a loving tribute to blaxploitation cinema but also a sly meta-movie and parody of technically incompetent independent films, this one feels significantly more by the books, and its PG-13 rating likewise suggests an attempt to appeal to a broader audience than Black Dynamite. Maybe we’re wrong, but this footage has us tempering our expectations for Outlaw Johnny Black. Take a look and decide for yourself below.