According toDeadline, a cinematic biopic on the life ofMartin Luther King Jr.is in the works. Universal Pictures will be driving the movie and the studio has put it on the table to utilizeJonathan Eig’s critically acclaimed biographyKing: A Lifefor the cinematic adaptation. Better yet,Chris Rock, who has also starred inGeorge C. Wolfe’sRustinis in final talks to direct and produce the biopic, giving him a chance to square up the Oscar slap the right way.Steven Spielbergis going to be the executive producer.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent American civil rights leader known for his advocacy of nonviolence and his role in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his commitment to nonviolent resistance in the struggle against racism. This strong backdrop is going to be a solid foundation for the biopic — especially after this year’s powerful reception ofOppenheimer,Christopher Nolan-directed biopic that chronicles the life and career ofJ. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist known as the father of the atomic bomb.
Previously, there has been anAva DuVernay-directed historical film calledSelma,which focuses on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. However, a biopic detailing the complete life and journey of the civil rights leader is yet to be made and it seems like the perfect time for the studios to tap in.
The Biopic Will Be a Step Up for Chris Rock
With movies likeTop Five,Head of State, andI Think I Love My Wifeunder his belt, it’s not new for Rock to wear the director’s hat but it’s certainly a step up. InRustin, the movie featuringColman Domingoin the title role, Rock played the role of real-lifeRoy Wilkins, who actually made the march possible where Dr. King made his iconic “I have a dream,” speech. Well, it seems that it is time for the four-time Emmy Award winner and three-time Grammy Award winner to take the reins for arguably the most important project of his life.
