Michel Gondry to direct Pharrell Williams quasi-biopic Atlantis

Last Updated on March 26, 2024

Michel Gondry is about to make a lot of people happy, teaming with Pharrell Williams, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and recent Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph for Atlantis, a new film that is partly inspired by Williams’ upbringing.

While no plot details have been unveiled, according to Deadline, Atlantis is “a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.” In addition to Gondry signed on as director, screenwriters on board are Toy Story 4’s Martin Hynes and Tick, Tick…Boom’s Steven Levenson.

Atlantis was revealed back in 2017. While Hynes was attached even as far back as then, originally Michael Mayer – who won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Spring Awakening – was set to direct.

Pharrell Williams has been all-in on telling his life story, even in Lego form, as Focus Features will release Piece By Piece later this year. Honestly, that seems like the project Gondry should have directed considering his Lego-centric video for the White Stripes’ “Fell in Love with a Girl”, which stands as one of the more clever music videos of the century. Even without the iconic bricks, certainly Gondry will be making Atlantis a visually inventive feast.

Michel Gondry is due for a rediscovery. He has still been putting out extremely quality work – 2015’s Microbe & Gasoline in particular was fantastic and the Jim Carrey-starring Kidding (in which he directed nearly half of the episodes) should have continued past its two seasons – but it has been quite some time since he reached a wider audience, keeping a much lower profile after the sting of The Green Hornet.

Atlantis cast member Kelvin Harrison Jr. has been blowing up over the last few years, riding a wave that truly came with 2017’s It Comes at Night. He recently played Martin Luther King Jr. in anthology series Genius. Randolph herself is looking to capitalize on her recent Best Supporting Actress win for The Holdovers.

To date, Williams has 13 Grammy Awards, two of which are for his trademark song “Happy”, which also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

Are you looking forward to Atlantis? Drop your thoughts below.