00:00The backlash to HBO's upcoming slave drama Confederate hit new heights on Sunday evening,
00:05as a Twitter campaign against the show hit No. 2 on Twitter's worldwide trending topics.
00:11April Rain, who created the hashtag OscarSoWhite conversation, urged viewers to tweet
00:16hashtag NoConfederate during Sunday's episode of Game of Thrones, and now HBO has responded
00:22to the outcry. The premium cable network said in a statement on Sunday,
00:26We have great respect for the dialogue and concern being expressed around Confederate.
00:31We have faith that writers Nichelle, Dan, David, and Malcolm will approach the subject with care
00:37and sensitivity. The project is currently in its infancy, so we hope people will reserve judgment
00:42until there is something to see. Confederate explores the story of the events leading up to the
00:47Third American Civil War, but takes place in an alternate reality where the South has successfully
00:52seceded from the Union. This results in slavery remaining legal and evolving into a modern
00:57institution. The characters range from freedom fighters to abolitionists, slave hunters,
01:02and journalists on both sides of the Mason-Dixon demilitarized zone.
01:06The hashtag NoConfederate campaign was designed to send the message to HBO that viewers don't
01:11want to see a show that explores slavery in any sense. Confederate was picked up straight to series
01:16and is the brainchild of Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, in addition
01:22to husband and wife writing duo Malcolm Spellman and Nichelle Tramble Spellman. The show is set
01:27to launch once Game of Thrones wraps, either next year or in 2019.
01:31Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, April Raines said,
01:34What confidence should we have in two gentlemen who can't talk about race on their own show and have
01:40had seven seasons to introduce significant characters of color?
01:44HBO programming president Casey Bloys defended the project when speaking with reporters last week
01:50and urged viewers to reserve judgment until after they've seen the show.
01:54Everyone understands there is a high degree of getting this right. If you can get it right,
01:59there is a real opportunity to advance the racial discussion in America. The producers acknowledge
02:05this has a high degree of difficulty. It's a risk worth taking. To read more on this story,
02:09head to THR.com and tell us what you think of the premise of Confederate. Did you tweet against
02:14it during Game of Thrones? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
02:18For The Hollywood Reporter News, I'm Lyndsey Rodrigues.
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