Comedian Chris Rock is in talks to direct a big screen biopic on civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King...
From People
Chris Rock is bringing the story of Martin Luther King Jr. to life on the screen.
In collaboration with executive producer Steven Spielberg, Rock, 58, is in final talks to direct and produce a biopic about the late civil-rights activist for Universal Pictures, according to a release obtained by PEOPLE.
Kristie Macosko Krieger and Amblin Partners will co-produce alongside Rock, while Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production Development Ryan Jones will oversee, per the release.
The film will be based on Jonathan Eig's New York Times best-selling biography, King: A Life.
Released earlier this year, the book "follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, [as] Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father — as well as the nation’s most mourned martyr," an official synopsis for the book reads.
18 comments:
Of course Chris Rock would work with Steven Spielberg and Jonathan Eig on this. Were DuVernay, Townsend, Lee, or Burnette considered? Would those Black directors even do a film based on a book by Eig? I don't know where to start with my complaints on this mess.
Hell, I'll even take Lee Daniels before Rock.
If Paul Winfield isn't playing King then I won't watch it.
The way these racist are trying to rewrite black history, I can’t complain. This is a positive project for our youth…as long as it’s not watered down or changed around.
I don't like him and we really don't need another MLK movie. So its a hard pass for me.
@1243. Exactly. I think that's why Ana DuVernay didn't get an Oscar award for Selma. Word is that the powers that be wanted her to include more Jews in the film to show how they were an ally to us, but she wouldn't have it. She made the movie she wanted to make and I'm so glad she did. Forget about Speilberg and Rock.
I'd love to see what Spike Lee would do with a project like this since he did an excellent job on Malcolm's life.
To: 12:26 PM
Sweetie, Paul has been dead for almost 20 years now but I agree, he would have been a great choice.
Honestly, I don't like Chris and I don't find him funny at all. Plus, all of his director's credits are for comedic films he's starred in, so I'm not convinced he'll do well as a director for a dramatic biopic. Not sure if he can pull this off but this film sounds really fascinating. We have yet to get MLK's full story of his life and how his name was changed from Michael to Martin. Good luck to him.
@12:26 I grew up watching him play King in the 80s and 90s. Damn, I forgot about that movie.
^^^ Winfield was an excellent choice. He was in the mini series, King, back in the 70s.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_(miniseries)
I think that's what 12:26 was referencing (the poster has been there and has done that.)
No.
I’m here for it. It’s overdue at this point but not sure I’d ever see Rock doing anything like this. If he’s the only actor/director trying to get it done then more power (and funding) to him. I’d want or expect Spike but maybe that would feel too much like a repeat for him. Hopefully Rock can rise up for it and does.
Paul Winfield liked wee wee… low key Dr. Kang did too, said the FBI.
@ 1:41 PM
Thank you. Some folks on here are a little slow. Talmbout "Sweetie", lol.
I don't trust Chris Rock to not make a mockery of black history. The older he gets the more he sells out.
I just realized that I never read or saw a MLK biopic. All films and media, that I read or saw, revolved around the later years of his life, and his contribution to the Civil Rights movement. So, I would be interested in seeing this. As for Chris's involvement, I'm not worried, and I think he'll do a good job. His performance in FX Fargo was phenomenal! I couldn't believe how well Chris did drama, but he was very convincing. So I can't wait to see how he'll bring King alive.
Thank you Will Smith.
So…. my comment was deleted. Someone couldn't handle the truth.
Not feeling CR for this project.
I've been waiting for some news of this sort about Chris. It would not surprise me if this is an INDUSTRY-WIDE settlement so Chris would not sue DAMN NEAR ALL of Hollywood. Starting with ABC which is Disney, the OSCARS, and of course Will. There is NO WAY Chris is gonna walk away from that embarrassment without anything. That lawsuit would bring nothing but years of negativity. Steven Spielberg and Universal along with others involved in a Chris Rock project that is NOT a comedy smells fishy. I'm gathering other info and will soon make this a main topic on my Podcast. ATSPE - All Things Sports Politics & Entertainment. (https://anchor.fm/jkh/subscribe)
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