May 19 2009Martin Luther King Jr.: DreamWorks Owns Your Life
Will Smith, time to start putting on a little weight. DreamWorks has acquired the "life rights" of Martin Luther King Jr. and plan to make a biopic with Steven Spielberg serving as a producer. From Variety.
King, who was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis at the age of 39, copyrighted his speeches, books and famous works during his lifetime. The DreamWorks project marks the first film to be authorized by King's estate and gives the producers the right to utilize King's intellectual property -- including his famous "I Have a Dream" speech delivered during the 1963 March on Washington -- to create the definitive portrait of his life."We are all honored that the King Estate is giving us the opportunity to tell the story of these defining, historic events," Spielberg said. "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."
I told this news to someone and their reply was, "Tyler Perry?" First I laughed, but the more I think about it, the more I'm worrying. With his recent part in Star Trek--and seeing how everyone in that is so hot right now--could Tyler Perry end up somehow playing Martin Luther King Jr. That couldn't happen, could it? He'd be too insistent that the drama of King's life be interspersed with out-of-place drag comedy to ever get the role, right? Tell me that's the case.
Reader Comments
1. Huggy Bear - May 19, 2009 1:44 PM
Meanwhile, how pissed is Spike Lee that Steven Spielberg gets to handle this one?
2. Chuck Nunchuck - May 19, 2009 1:55 PM
Sam Jackson is the perfect choice.
"I had a mothafuckin' dream."
3. Clay - May 19, 2009 1:55 PM
He should get Clint Eastwood to direct.
4. Nick - May 19, 2009 2:14 PM
I didn't even realize that was Tyler Perry in Star Trek. Well, considering how low key and not-terrible he was in it, I'd imagine that he could actually be a half decent actor. I don't think he's a Spielbergian sort of actor, though. I don't think he could hold up a potential Oscar-flick all by his lonesome.
5. Mr. Stratford - May 19, 2009 3:08 PM
Tyler Perry is in Star Trek? Great, now I might not be able to see it because of my deep rooted hate for that jack-ass. I'd hate to burn the theater down when I burst into flames.
6. Stud - May 19, 2009 3:28 PM
Jeffrey Wright SHOULD play MLK.
And in other news, Mr. Stratford you're a douche.
7. Harry Coe - May 19, 2009 3:56 PM
So, it's "I have a DreamWorks" now, is it?
8. Sean - May 19, 2009 5:23 PM
I guarantee it's going to be called a one word name. ie "The man that changed a nation".... KING" or "This summer, dare to.... DREAM"
9. Kaiser Soze - May 19, 2009 6:18 PM
Tyler Perry is in Star Trek? Great, now I might not be able to see it because of my deep rooted hate for that jack-ass. I'd hate to burn the theater down when I burst into flames.
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I thought i was the only one! but anyways if there is even the slightest chance that Madea gets to audition for MLK, I will incite the Largest movie boycott EVER conceived on dreamworks studios. mark my words
10. Who? - May 19, 2009 6:29 PM
@2- I'm with that
11. K lee - May 19, 2009 6:41 PM
I'd think casting an unknown (or Jeffrey Wright) as MLK would be the way to go... if Denzel gets the role, I'm calling shenanigans.
12. Kevlar - May 19, 2009 7:06 PM
They should totally cast everyone and have them play King in different scenes / ages of his life.
Start with T.I. during the early years, then move to Cuba Gooding Jr. to play King in his 20s. Then on to Will Smith, followed by Sam Jackson, then Denzel. Go to Morgan Freeman for Montgomery, then end with James Earl Jones for the speech in Washington.
Guaranteed Oscar right there.
13. b - May 19, 2009 7:25 PM
Will this movie be called Planet of the Apes?
14. royaltee - May 20, 2009 11:48 AM
Idris Elba is MLK
15. Kevin - May 20, 2009 3:23 PM
@ Stud
Um...Geoffrey Wright *did* play MLK. Best performance of him that I've seen, too.
16. Rhialto - May 20, 2009 5:47 PM
"I have a dream" and Dreamworks.Just coincidence?
17. LenS - May 20, 2009 6:17 PM
The King family has been very consistent -- show them the money and they'd dig up their Dad and send his corpse where ever the payer wanted.
18. Bong Princess - May 21, 2009 11:33 AM
You guys are missing the whole idea here.
..."with Steven Spielberg serving as a producer"...
I was really interested until I read this
Is MLKJ going to be shot by aliens? Was his famous 'dream' derived from alien implants? Is old Stevie gonna pinch in a theme that African Americans are from outer space?
Serious questions.
This would be better produced from someone who isn't going to turn it into a franchise and squeeze every bit of alien blood out of it.
Next up, Bob Marley and the Martian, a Spielberg production.
19. Ian - May 21, 2009 11:40 AM
I think that those ideas would make interesting movies, Bong Princess, and in that case it'd be good to cast Tyler Perry after all. Or Perry Logan...
20. John - May 27, 2009 11:54 AM
levar burton should play MLK jr.
and no one else
21. frank - May 29, 2009 12:28 PM
@22:
Butterfly in the Skyyyyyy I can go dream as hiiiiiigh
Just take a look, it's in a book, a Racial Rainboooooow
No but seriously, Jeffrey Wright.
22. Carisha McLean - May 29, 2009 7:31 PM
The man they need lives in Fayetteville, NC. He sounds just like King. You can google his name Stephon Ferguson and see all kinda videos and info on him. He just hasn't neen noticed on a large scale. In NC he's very popular.. or visit his site, TheDreamLives.com. I hope he somehow gets the attention of film makers... or auditions. He does it all from memory. I've heard him deliver a 30 minute sermon by King word for word with not one note and sounded JUST LIKE HIM... Kinda looks like him too...