Given that he already made Black Panther and is at work on the sequel, you'd think that would be enough movies featuring the words "black" and "panther" for Ryan Coogler. But no! He's now on board to produce new bio-drama Jesus Was My Homeboy, starring Panther's Daniel Kaluuya and Sorry To Bother You's Lakeith Stanfield.
Shaka King wrote the script with Will Berson and is on to direct the film, which will chronicle the experiences of activist Fred Hampton, a respected and talented grass-roots civil rights activist who rose to become chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers organization and deputy chairman of the national BPP. But his charisma, oratorial skills and swift ascent marked him out as a threat in the eyes of the FBI and in 1969 he and fellow Panther Mark Clark were killed during a controversial raid by a tactical unit carrying out orders from the Chicago Police Department and the FBI.
Stanfield's in talks to play William O'Neal, who betrayed Hampton to the authorities and provided plans of his apartment. Coogler will produce alongside MACRO's Charles D. King, Kim Roth and Poppy Hanks, with Warner Bros. providing the backing and distribution.
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