The story of Dr. King’s life is finally on its way to the silver screen. Steven Spielberg has signed up to co-produce a Martin Luther King biopic for DreamWorks, according to Variety.
“We are all honored that the King estate is giving us the opportunity to tell the story of these defining, historic events,” Spielberg to the trade paper this week. “It is our hope that the creative power of film and the impact of Dr. King’s life can combine to present a story of undeniable power that we can all be proud of.”
50 Cent and Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker have signed up to star in a new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic 19th century novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The pair will play the lead roles in the classic tale about a doctor who invents a potion that can unleash his violent alter ego.
“The combination of such formidable talent in front of and behind the camera will turn this wonderful gothic story into a modern classic for a whole new generation,” executive producer Luc Roeg told Variety on Thursday.
Lionsgate has released the Official Trailer for its poignant new independent film Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire and directed by Lee Daniels. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award and was one of the most highly praised films at the renowned event.
The film will open in limited theatrical release on November 6, 2009.
Precious stars Mo’Nique, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton, and Gabby Sidibe.
The Princess and the Frog — Disney’s first animated feature fronted by an African-American princess — hits theaters with a limited run in New York and Los Angeles beginning November 25, followed by a wide release on December 11.
Featuring the voices of Anika Noni Rose (as Princess Tiana), Oprah Winfrey, Keith David, Jim Cummings, John Goodman, Jenifer Lewis, Bruno Campos, Michael-Leon Wooley, Peter Bartlett and Terrence Howard, The Princess And The Frog is based on E.D. Baker’s novel The Frog Princess.
The Walt Disney Studios continues its fairy tale legacy in animation by taking moviegoers on an all-new “once upon a time” musical adventure. Set in the legendary birthplace of jazz – New Orleans, The Princess and the Frog will introduce the newest Disney princess, Tiana, a young African-American girl living amid the charming elegance and grandeur of the fabled French Quarter. From the heart of Louisiana’s mystical bayous and the banks of the mighty Mississippi comes an unforgettable tale of love, enchantment and discovery with a soulful singing crocodile, voodoo spells and Cajun charm at every turn.
Filmgoers are obsessed with Beyonce. The nine-time Grammy winner’s new movie, Obsessed, soared to No. 1 at the box office this weekend, earning $28.5 million in ticket sales, according to early studio estimates.
The thriller stars Beyonce as the wife of a successful asset manager (Idris Elba) whose co-worker (Ali Larter) begins stalking him, turning their lives upside down.
Derek Charles (Idris Elba), a successful asset manager who has just recieved a huge promotion, is blissfully happy in his career and in his marriage to the beautiful Sharon (Beyonce Knowles). But when Lisa (Ali Larter), a temp worker, starts stalking Derek, all the things he’s worked so hard for are placed in jeopardy.
Rihanna met with several New York City film agents about several impending projects on the silver screen over the weekend. According to the NY Daily News, the “Umbrella” hitmaker is up for the lead role in a proposed remake of the Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner 1992 hit, The Bodyguard.
Rihanna is also considering working on a third Charlie’s Angels sequel.
