Universal Pictures is working on a biopic based on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Chris Rock just may be the man to direct it, with Steven Spielberg as executive producer.
The news came on Thursday, October 5th, via a report by Deadline, which claimed that Universal has optioned the rights to adapt King: A Life, the best-selling biography of King written by Jonathan Eig. According to the report, Rock is “in final talks to direct and produce,” and Spielberg locked-in as executive producer, with Amblin Partners and Kristie Macosko Krieger set to have producer credits as well.
Additional details on the film are scarce, but Deadline has indicated that some other industry players, such as Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production Development, Ryan Jones, will be attached to the project.
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Rock made his directorial debut with the 2003 comedy, Head of State, and though he has since directed several titles, this would be the first film of his that will likely land outside the genre most folks know him for: comedy. Nonetheless, a project based on King’s life won’t be foreign territory for the comedian — next month, he’s set to appear as civil rights activist Roy Wilkins in the movie Rustin, which tells the story of how King’s famous 1963 March on Washington was organized.
Rustin is set to premiere in select theaters on November 3rd, and will become available to stream on Netflix beginning November 17th.
Meanwhile, Rock’s face has presumably recovered from the infamous Oscars slap, which he discussed in his latest standup special, Selective Outrage.
