Jamie Foxx to play MLK Jr. in new biopic…

Posted by | Ray Cornelius

Academy award-winner Jamie Foxx may be preparing for the biggest role of his career.

Indie Wire is reporting that the 45-year-old comedic actor is currently in talks to star in a new biopic about the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Apparently, DreamWorks/Warners purchased the rights to King’s story and his “I Have a Dream” speech in 2009 and penned a script by Kario Salem in 2011. Now the movie studio is moving forward with Foxx as the lead and Oliver Stone as the director.  Foxx and Stone previously worked together on the NFL drama, Any Given Sunday.

Unlike other MLK projects, the untitled film would also be executive produced by the remaining King children (Dexter King, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III) and would chronicle their fathers’ rise to civil right leader all the way to his assassination in 1968.

This film is also one of many projects centered around King that are currently in development. We previously reported that Butler  actor David Oyelowo was starring in Selma,  the film which was once being directed by Lee Daniels but is now being directed by Ava DuVernay.

RC will keep you posted as this story continues to develop.

Photo Credit: Radiofacts.com