Chris Rock In Talks To Direct, Produce Upcoming Biopic On Martin Luther King Jr.

A world-renowned comedian is gearing up to direct a biopic of the most prominent and influential figure of the Civil Rights Movement.

Chris Rock will examine the life of Martin Luther King Jr. And the actor and comedian is in final negotiations to direct and produce a biopic of the late -- but surely never forgotten -- civil rights icon, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Universal will be behind the project, optioning the rights to Jonathan Eig’s biography, King: A Life, which debuted in May, earning a National Book Award nomination. Drawing upon newly unearthed FBI information on King, the book is described by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, “as an intimate portrayal of King as a courageous but emotionally troubled individual who demanded peaceful protest while grappling with his own frailties and a government that hunted him.”

Steven Spielberg is set to executive produce the project via his Amblin Partners, with Kristie Macosko Krieger producing.

Directing big projects isn’t anything new to Rock. He previously directed and starred in the TIFF favorite Top Five (2014). He also directed Head of State (2003) and I Think I Love My Wife (2007).

This year, he will be on screen in George C. Wolfe’s civil rights biopic Rustin, which will star Colman Domingo.

In March, he launched the Netflix live stand-up special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage. And last year, he was a part of the ensemble cast of David O. Russell’s Amsterdam.

He has his animated comedy, Everybody Still Hates Chris in the works for Paramount + and Comedy Central.

Rock started as a stand-up comedian before appearing in minor film roles, including the likes of Beverly Hills Cop II, which made its debut in 1987. He became a household name as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. It was during this time when he appeared in movies such as New Jack City (1991), Boomerang (1992) and CB4 (1993), all Black folk classics.

He continued the mainstream wave when he played a role in Bring the Pain, Bigger & Blacker, Never Scared and Kill the Messenger, among many other classics.

And, of course, he was revered thanks to developing, writing and producing the sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris.

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