A while back I reported on this blog that Paul Greengrass was developing an MLK biopic named Memphis but it ended up being rejected by the King family. A second picture called Selma is now in the hands of director Ava DuVernay but that's languishing in development Hell.
You can now add a third MLK film to the list.
"The Wrap" reports that two time Oscar winning director Oliver Stone is in talks with DreamWorks to direct a film about the famous civil rights leader. Fellow Oscar winner Jamie Foxx is also in talks to play the part of King. If both sign on it will be the first time the two have worked together since 1999's Any Given Sunday. Screenwriter Kario Salem has been working on the script for over three years, conducting extensive interviews to make the screenplay as authentic as possible. Dreamworks acquired the rights to King's story, including the "I Have A Dream" speech back in 2011.
I could see this scenario playing out very well. Foxx is an excellent actor and absolutely has the chops to handle the role. Oliver Stone, while not having the most success in recent movies, certainly knows 1960s America well. I think he would excel in a film like this.
No news yet on when the film might be released, but this has Oscar bait all over it so I'd expect late 2015. Jamie Foxx can be seen in next May's The Amazing Spiderman 2.
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