How a teen drama about police violence became a critical and audience sensation

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Based on the 2017 novel by Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give follows a teenager navigating the aftermath of witnessing her friend's fatal police shooting. The film, which earned universal acclaim and an A+ CinemaScore, balances personal trauma with the broader, explosive tensions of a community demanding justice for racial injustice.

Released in October 2018, The Hate U Give tells the story of 16-year-old Starr Carter, who lives in the neighborhood of Garden Heights but attends a private school, Williamson Prep. Her life is upended when her childhood friend, Khalil, is shot and killed by a police officer, Brian MacIntosh Jr., who mistakes a hairbrush for a firearm. The film tracks Starr’s difficult transition from a silent witness to a public advocate, a journey that strains her relationships with her school friends and forces her to confront the local gang, the King Lords, who threaten her family.

The production was marked by significant challenges. Screenwriter Audrey Wells passed away from cancer at age 58, just one day before the film's release. Additionally, actor Kian Lawley was fired during production after footage of him using racial slurs surfaced; his scenes were subsequently reshot with KJ Apa in April 2018. Despite these hurdles, the film received widespread praise, particularly for Amandla Stenberg’s lead performance, which earned her an NAACP Image Award. Critics highlighted the film's relevance, though some, such as Keith Watson of Slant Magazine, argued that the direction failed to fully capture the intensity of the source material.

Financially, the film’s performance was mixed. While it grossed $34.9 million worldwide against a $23 million production budget, The Hollywood Reporter noted that it ultimately lost Fox $30–40 million when accounting for the $30 million spent on marketing. Nevertheless, the film remains a notable entry in the young adult genre, moving beyond traditional tropes to address systemic issues. Its legacy is tied to its unflinching look at police violence and the courage required to speak out, with Starr promising to continue her advocacy by any means necessary.

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