Keegan-Michael Key & Wesley Snipes Join Eddie Murphy’s ‘Dolemite Is My Name!’

Eddie Murphy’s Rudy Ray Moore biopic “Dolemite is my Name!” is moving forward, as the film has just announced the casting of Keegan-Michael Key in the major role, according to THR. The film is directed by Craig Brewer, best known for his work on “Black Snake Moan” and “Hustle & Flow,” and production is said to be underway already in Los Angeles, with Netflix planning a release sometime in 2019.

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The film follows the life of Rudy Ray Moore, who is best known for acting in the series of ‘Dolemite’ films, which are classics in the Blaxploitation genre. Moore’s films came to fruition after he created the character of Dolemite for his comedy routines. The character is said to be based on stories Moore heard about a pimp. He adopted the character for his comedy career and was revolutionary for adding sexually-explicit, R-rated rhymes to his routine.

Key will be playing the role of Jerry Jones, a playwright that was convinced by Moore to write the screenplay for the 1975 film “Dolemite,” a film that featured Moore as a pimp seeking revenge with a number of kung fu fighting prostitutes to help him. Joining Key in the cast are Wesley Snipes, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and T.I. 

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Since ending “Key & Peele,” Keegan-Michael Key has taken on a number of acting roles including the Netflix series “Friends from College” and the upcoming Shane Black-directed “The Predator.” Additionally, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewki, who have made a name for themselves writing biopics including “The People vs. Larry Flint” and “Man on the Moon,” wrote the screenplay.