With “JFK,” “Nixon” and “W.” under his belt, Oliver Stone knows his way around (controversial) biopics of famous American leaders. But even with that said, he’s not the first guy we’d think of for a movie about Martin Luther King Jr.
Then again, we’re not the folks at DreamWorks, who are eyeing Stone to direct, and Jamie Foxx to star in a currently untitled project they’re developing. The weight behind this one is immense, with Steven Spielberg leading the producers that also include Suzanne De Passe, Madison Jones and Sam Nappi, and Ronald Harwood (“The Pianist,” “Australia“) first cracking the script while Kario Salem (“Chasing Mavericks“) is working on it now. But perhaps most crucially, the project has members of the MLK family involved as well.
Now for the caveats: THR says, “neither Stone nor Foxx have offers at this stage but meetings have taken place. The two are keen on doing it but reservations abound.” While the exact nature of the concerns aren’t being made clear, we can’t imagine Stone will want to tell a clean, sanitized version of MLK’s life. And that may cause a problem, as competing projects—in particular Paul Greengrass‘ “Memphis“—have run afoul for the MLK estate for going off the approved narrative of the civil rights leader.
Aside from “Memphis,” there are other projects brewing, including “Selma,” which Ava DuVernay recently took over from Lee Daniels. Basically, we wouldn’t bank on this coalescing quickly as MLK movies seem to be somewhat difficult to get made.
But what do you think? Is Oliver Stone the guy to get it done? Is Jamie Foxx really the best choice for MLK? Sound off below.
Seems like a bad idea – whatever Stone has in mind, Spielberg and the estate will rein him in severely, and declawed Stone is of no interest on this subject at all.
Stone tried to make a MLK film already. He wanted to contrast his personal misgivings with his social message and allow the contradictions the chance to really swim together in one portrait. Stone still has talent but has to have the right project to be able to work with. I don't know if a big budgeted MLK film brought to you by Dreamworks really is that project. Sounds like a glad hand project.
OK, I'm finished with Oliver Stone. There is no way this will be any good. He's lost his touch for many years. In fact, he should just retire because he doesn't have what it takes to make a good film anymore.
my stepmom got a 6 month old Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML63 AMG just by working online with a lap-top. see this page…fb29.com
I love early Oliver Stone. But knowing the Oliver Stone of late he'd probably want to place focus entirely on the dullest but most scandalous parts of who MLK was.
Oliver Stone's mindset: "Did you know MLK liked sex?! He had more sex than anyone else on the planet. He might have even dressed up in white face & had a gay orgy with other male historical figures! I'm not saying he did… but he might have "
Nope
Within a similar character vibe such as Gandhi and Mandela, in terms of causes they were fighting for, I believe Oliver Stone can definitely pull it off.
And, even though, Jamie Foxx is a great actor, he doesn't look like him. If he get a good makeup to resemble MLK, I guess he can pull it off.
Is good to know that a movie about him is in the making!
Oliver Stone, I think, would reduce MLK to a pawn of one of his conspiratorial fantasies… And Jamie Foxx as MLK? I dunno.
Dammit!