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What might be one of the fastest productions in recorded history, Sony’s remake of SUPERFLY directed by music video’s Director X has been in the news more this month than any other movie, not only with its casting, but also Sony setting the movie’s release date for June of this year. That’s less than five months away!
Prestigious TV actor Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire) and Esai Morales are the latest to join the film which will star Trevor Jackson and Jason Mitchell from Straight Outta Compton. Williams will play a character named Scatter, while Morales will play Adalberto, the Tracking Board confirms.
The updating of the 1972 “blaxploitation” classic starring Ron O’Neal and Carl Lee follows an African-American drugdealer (played in the remake by Jackson) who wants to do one last deal before leaving the business.
Alex Tse wrote the script with Joel Silver producing alongside rapper Future, who is also putting together the soundtrack.Steven R. Shore, Matthew Hirsch, Hal Sadoff and Aaron Auch are exec. producers on the film.
HBO has done well by Williams, first casting him in the popular crime series The Wire, which was followed by roles in the Martin Scorsese-produced Boardwalk Empire, the TV movie Bessie and the mini-series The Night Of. Williams received Emmy nominatinos for the latter two projects. Williams currently stars on SundanceTV’s Hap & Leonard, which will be back for a third season on March 7. Repped by WME and Silver Lining Entertainment, Williams also co-stars in Emilio Estevez’s The Public, which will premiere as opening night of the Santa Barbara Film Festival later this week.
Repped by Innovative Artists and LINK Entertainment, Morales is a regular on ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder. Morales previously appeared on NYPD Blue, 24, Magic City, Criminal Minds as well as Chicago P.D. and the Netflix series Ozark.
Deadline initially reported the casting.
Edward Douglas | East Coast Editor
