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John Singleton May Be Bringing Tupac Shakur's Story to the Screen
by James Wallace
October 12, 2011
Source: Vulture
We've seen the life story of Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G.' Wallace brought to life through 2009's Notorious, but now one-time friend, ultimate rival, and fellow rapper Tupac '2Pac' Shakur is getting his own biopic. And what better director to tell the rapper's tragic story than writer/director/friend John Singleton, who directed Shakur for his dramatic turn in 1993's Poetic Justice. Recently, we reported that Singleton could be taking on another hip-hop story he was close to with a film about N.W.A. that would be partly founded by Singleton's Boyz 'N the Hood star Ice Cube, but this hip-hip biopic might take priority now. More below!
The most recent draft of the script for Shakur's film comes from Brian Tucker (Broken City), with earlier drafts by Oscar-nominated screenwriters (and two guys who have penned their fair share of biopics) Stephen J. Rivele and Chris Wilkinson (Ali, Nixon, Copying Beethoven). But on the directing side of things, Vulture is reporting that, when it came down to New Line Cinema's N.W.A. film - aptly titled Straight Outta Compton - or Universal Pictures' 2Pac film, Singleton chose to go with the latter, due in part to the New Line's decision to explore director Craig Brewer (Footloose, Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan) as a viable option for the former. I imagine Singleton's more personal connection and friendship with Shakur also had something to do with it.
But Singleton isn't the first director Universal approached on the project. Antoine Fuqua (the planned Suge Knight documentary, Training Day) was originally attached but left the production when he couldn't seem to find the right actor for the job, even after a nationwide talent search. I guess Fuqua wasn't a fan of Anthony Mackie's performance as 2Pac in Notorious! Coincidentally, they had a similar open casting call for the role of Biggie in Notorious, before it was given to rapper turned actor Gravy a.k.a. Jamal Woolard. Maybe they'll do a crossover and have Woolard as B.I.G. for the 2Pac biopic? Probably not.
13 Comments
1
Suge does not deserve a documentary.
Lebowski on Oct 12, 2011
2
John Singleton isn't that good a director. He peaked with boyz in the hood. Watched Abduction recently in the cinema, wanted to kill myself it was so bad. He should stay away from the Tupac project, he'll turn it into a B-Movie like Notorious when something like Tupacs life story deserves A-list material.
James on Oct 12, 2011
3
are you serious? he made boyz in the hood, poetic justice, baby boy, higher learning, hustle and flow and four brothers. those where all great movies. i dont know about abduction i never watched it but that was different then all his other projects. he also casted tupac for poetic justice and wrote baby boy for tupac he was going to write all his movies for tupac before he died so what other person would be better then singleton, someone he knew personally on a friendship level.
Confuzion Melodicmizeryrecords on Dec 16, 2012
4
The Notorious movie sucked ass. As much as I love 2pac, I'm sure this will too.
The Douche on Oct 13, 2011
5
I just cant see anybody doing a good enough job portraying Tupac. Is Singleton the go to guy now for these rap bios now? (NWA and now Tupac) What then? The Geto Boys flick?
Posthuman on Oct 13, 2011
6
This won't work, just as a Bob Marley biopic won't work either...these icons are such that no actor can portray either one.
jah p on Oct 13, 2011
7
I'd love to see an extended piece on how he was really into ballet dancing as a younger man and also how he was also very into acting before he became a rapper. Infact he did a pretty good 'acting' job as a gangster rapper too. Ah get aaaaaarooooooooound.
Crapola on Oct 13, 2011
8
The World needs this film...but it will never find anyone good enough to play the part of Pac. Shame.
M555rkb on Oct 19, 2011
9
i think that the should a pac film because it would inspier the next genaration to think about there life as a black man or woman pac was more than a rapper pac was a soulider for his people
Raymondtaylor86 on Feb 3, 2012
10
Your a fuckin deadshit
Oxeyy619 on Mar 27, 2012
11
Make a pac movie he has done so much for music without even meaning it mad cunt for life R.I.P champ
Oxeyy619 on Mar 27, 2012
12
why you talkin shit bro. punk ass bitch. what you don't like 2pac just cuz he was a badass motherfucker
fuktriangle dimes on Jul 6, 2012
13
as far as im concerned they made a pac movie called resurection which was told in his own words. they dont really need anything else because the right people wouldnt be involved, all the people we loved that he worked with his estate wont let them be a part of the projects and part of the music anymore. besides that most of them are dead. they should have the real people portray themselves. like 8 mile they had actors portray people who were still alive it was kinda gay
Confuzion Melodicmizeryrecords on Dec 16, 2012
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