By: Connor Wiley
Universal Pictures is backing a new Martin Luther King Jr. biographical film reportedly in the works, and Chris Rock is arranged to direct and produce the film, with Steven Spielberg executive producing. The presently untitled film is expected to be adapted from the recently released MLK biography by Jonathan Eig called “King: A Life,” published in May of this year.
Chris Rock is widely known for his comedy, so his involvement in a cinematic adaptation of Dr. King’s life may come as a surprise. Though Rock has ventured outside of the comedy light as an actor and a producer in the past, all of the films that he’s directed up until now have been comedies.
Chris Rock recently performed in a biopic called “Rustin,” set to hit theaters in November, which is about the life of Bayard Rustin, an advisor to MLK, and the events of the 1963 March on Washington during which King delivered his famous “I have a dream…” speech. Rock’s experience working on “Rustin” may have influenced his interest in directing an MLK biopic, and could potentially inspire some of his directorial decisions for the forthcoming film.
The book “King: A Life” that will likely be the basis for the film’s narrative was published just under six months ago, and has been nominated for a National Book Award, as well as praised by The New York Times as “the new definitive biography” of Dr. King. Much of the success and acclaim for Eig’s biography comes from its examination of previously inaccessible sources, including recently declassified FBI documents, unveiling various aspects of King’s life and death previously unknown to the public.
There are countless documentaries about MLK, and his persona has been cinematically depicted before in films like “Selma” and “All the Way,” but this will mark the first time that a Hollywood film will adapt the contents of a single biography of Dr. King for the big screen. And it will mark Chris Rock’s first time directing a biographical drama (or any non-comedy), already providing the film with a certain quality of novelty.
Additional details surrounding the upcoming MLK biopic have yet to be announced, but new insight will likely surface soon.
Be on the lookout for updates about the film, and feel free to leave a comment if you have any thoughts about Chris Rock signing on to direct, or if you’ve read “King: A Life.”
