Brian Grazer has been trying to get a James Brown biopic made since 2006. Back then, Brown himself was working on bringing the movie to life. Brown died that same year and the movie has been floundering in development since.
But, it looks like there is some new life in the project. Tate Taylor (THE HELP) is in talks to direct the movie for Grazer and producer Mick Jagger. Jagger is a huge James Brown fan and cites him as a direct influence on The Rolling Stones.
The screenplay from writers Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth who wrote FAIR GAME (the Sean Penn/Naomi Watts one, not the Cindy Crawford/Billy Baldwin one) tells the story charts a young boy’s rise from extreme poverty and violence to become The Godfather Of Soul, one of the most influential black artists in history whose career spanned six decades.
According to Jagger: “It’s a great honor to be involved with a project as rich as the story of the legendary James Brown. He was a mesmerizing performer with a fascinating life.”
There is no release date or timetable for the project at this time, but with a director announced it can only be a matter of time before we hear more news.