There’s a “Karen” Movie Coming and the Trailer Is High-Key Cringe

Can we speak to the manager?

Let's be real: it was only a matter of time until the 'Karen' memes that have graced the internet over the past year inspired some sort of creative project.

Well, it looks like that time is now. Earlier this week, Flixville USA dropped the—there's really no other way to say this—very cringey trailer for a movie titled Karen. 

According to the flick's official IMDb page, Karen is a crime thriller, which follows a "racist, entitled white woman in the South" called Karen who decides to terrorise her new Black neighbours.

Before you ask, yes, Karen sports the signature slick bob. Just check out the trailer below and see it for yourself. 

In the trailer, we hear Karen saying things like, "I've come across some very suspecting teenagers," along with threatening to call a manager. Plus, a kid also points out that "she doesn't like Black people." 

Yes, this is a real movie.

Karen is played by Taryn Manning from Orange Is the New Black, and the Black couple are played by Cory Hardict (American Sniper) and Jasmine Burke (Saints & Sinners). 

As reported by Deadline, Manning said she felt a "social responsibility to take on this role." 

"Even if I had to play the villain to affect change around the globe, then I was more than willing to step into the role," she told the publication.

Unsurprisingly, the film's trailer has sparked countless confused tweets, with users pointing out that Karen appears to lack any nuance in its depiction of racism and white privilege.

Is that Karen movie preview… an SNL thing or is it real?

— roxane gay (@rgay) June 22, 2021

Me when that Karen movie gets nominated for an Oscar pic.twitter.com/ldpb8vfBRr

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 22, 2021

This #KarenMovie trailer is giving me PTSD
pic.twitter.com/zl1OlmA7nK

— Omid Scobie (@scobie) June 22, 2021

Others have compared the film to Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning horror feature Get Out, which explores racism in an incredibly smart way. 

Something tells us that Karen isn't going to have quite the same impact. 

What Jordan peele “get out” snl skit nonsense is this?? No one asked for a movie about a murderous Karen pic.twitter.com/ILYGmsvJZ6

— London (@urmom2708) June 22, 2021

That Karen movie isn’t being subtle at all. Look at the last name of Karen. Jordan Peele really set the bar high with his film Get Out. It seems that filmmakers following his lead only get showing racism, but forget the subtle references and themes that Peele did in his film. pic.twitter.com/xRjSNTNXX6

— Alyssa 😴 (@Raininsleep) June 22, 2021

At this stage, Karen does not have a release date. 

Header Image: Flixville USA