The Wrap has learned Spike Lee's next movie CHIRAQ will be for Amazon Studios (which is a big win for its film production arm), and the site is also reporting that Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Piven, Common and Kanye West may star in the project.
There aren't any details on the plot for CHIRAQ, but the movie's title is an unflattering nickname for Chicago (Chicago + Iraq) due to the Windy City's recent increase in gun violence and crime rates. Jeremy Piven and Kanye West are both from the area and are in talks to join the film, however neither has a deal yet. No word on if Common has been officially cast in Lee's new movie, but Samuel L. Jackson is expected to cameo.
Spike Lee's last directorial effort DA SWEET BLOOD OF JESUS was funded through Kickstarter, and received mostly negative reviews from critics. JoBlo.com's Chris Bumbray called it "virtually unwatchable" in his review, but I still think Lee has a few good movies left in him, and I'm interested in learning more about CHIRAQ.
Samuel L. Jackson will be back as Nick Fury in AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON on May 1, 2015, while Jeremy Piven can be seen next on the big screen in the ENTOURAGE movie, which is set to hit theaters on June 5, 2015.