“Pinch me. This couldn’t have worked out better for this project,” Byrne said in a statement. “Spike Lee directing and Participant producing — two socially engaged teams, well, three if you count us in the band, coming together in what I feel will be something moving, important, and unlike anything anyone has seen before.”

Participant CEO David Linde added, “American Utopia is a true celebration from a great artist and a beautiful reminder to our nation that we are all born barefoot and wearing the same suit. We are incredibly excited to work with Mr. Byrne and the incomparable Spike Lee, along with RadicalMedia, River Road and Warner Music Group in bringing this one-of-a-kind event out of the theater to audiences around the world.”

The feature adaptation of the stage production, which opened in October, is planned for release later this year.

The post Spike Lee to Direct Film Version of David Byrne’s “American Utopia” appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Multiple outlets report that the media giant’s streaming service Apple TV+ has given the green light to a new series that will take an “inventive and cinematic approach to biographies of the most iconic figures in society today by using letters written by those whose lives have been changed through their work.”

The series hails from Emmy and Peabody Award winner RJ Cutler and its first season will feature Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Spike Lee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Yara Shahidi, Stevie Wonder, Aly Raisman, Misty Copeland, Big Bird and more.

Dear… is set to launch on Apple TV+ in the spring.

The post Oprah, Lin-Manuel Miranda Set for New Biography Series appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Lee is set to make history when he presides over the 73rd annual Cannes Film Festival jury, as the first black man to be chosen for the role. 

The 62-year-old filmmaker who has premiered seven films at the festival said he was “shocked, happy, surprised and proud” to learn that he will preside over the esteemed group. 

“In this life I have lived, my biggest blessings have been when they arrived unexpected, when they happened out of nowhere. When I got the call that I was offered the opportunity to be President of Cannes Jury for 2020, I was shocked, happy, surprised and proud all at the same time,” Lee said in a statement. “To me, the Cannes Film Festival (besides being the most important film festival in the world — no disrespect to anybody) has had a great impact on my film career. You could easily say Cannes changed the trajectory of who I became
in world cinema.”

“Spike Lee’s perspective is more valuable than ever. Cannes is a natural homeland and a global sounding board for those who (re)awaken minds and question our stances and fixed ideas,” the film festival’s official statement read.

The members of the 2020 Cannes jury are expected to be announced mid-April. 

The post Cannes 2020: Spike Lee Makes History appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Netflix has canceled the Spike Lee series. News of the cancelation was confirmed Wednesday by a representative for the streaming giant. 

“Spike Lee is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and we’re thrilled he brought the series She’s Gotta Have It (1986, based on his first feature film) to Netflix,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix. “While this is our last season, we’re very proud that it will be on our service for years to come, and excited to be working with Spike on his upcoming Netflix film Da 5 Bloods.”

She’s Gotta Have It premiered in 2017 and a month later was renewed for season 2. It starred DeWanda Wise as free-spirited artist Nola Darling. Anthony Ramos, Ilfenesh Hadera, Cleo Anthony, Lyriq Bent, Margot Bingham, Chyna Layne, and Fat Joe rounded out the cast. 

According to TVLine, Lee will shop the comedy elsewhere. 

The post “She’s Gotta Have It” Is Canceled appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

The project has been described as a story of “Vietnam veterans who go back to the jungle to find their lost innocence and put their broken selves back together.” Da 5 Bloods will be distributed by Netflix, and it serves as Lee’s first feature film with the streaming giant.

Lee co-wrote the screenplay with his BlacKkKlansman collaborator Kevin Wilmott. Their draft is based on the original version by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo and a rewrite by Matthew Billingsley. In addition to writing and directing, Lee will also be in charge of producing this project, along with Beatriz Levin, Lloyd Levin and Jon Kilik.

Production on Da 5 Bloods probably won’t start before March. Lee is currently busy with his Oscar campaign for BlacKkKlansman, which received a total of six nods at this year’s ceremony, which is taking place on February 24.

The post Chadwick Boseman Lands Lead Role in Spike Lee’s Next Film appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Titled Son of the South the feature is based on Bob Zellner’s autobiography, The Wrong Side of Murder Creek: A White Southerner in the Freedom Movement. An Alabama native and grandson of a Ku Klux Klan member, a 22-year-old Zellner was pulled into the center of the civil rights movement in 1961. The young Zellener was inspired by those who crossed his path including Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. 

Brown will direct from a screenplay penned by Lee, who will also serve as an executive producer on the project.

Lee and Brown are long time collaborators. Their work together dates back to Lee’s 1986 film She’s Gotta Have It. Their latest collaboration, BlacKkKlansman, is vying for six Oscar including Best Picture.

Son of the South will begin principal photography in Montgomery, Alabama, this March. 

The post Spike Lee to Exec Produce “Son of the South” appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

“Pinch me. This couldn’t have worked out better for this project,” Byrne said in a statement. “Spike Lee directing and Participant producing — two socially engaged teams, well, three if you count us in the band, coming together in what I feel will be something moving, important, and unlike anything anyone has seen before.”

Participant CEO David Linde added, “American Utopia is a true celebration from a great artist and a beautiful reminder to our nation that we are all born barefoot and wearing the same suit. We are incredibly excited to work with Mr. Byrne and the incomparable Spike Lee, along with RadicalMedia, River Road and Warner Music Group in bringing this one-of-a-kind event out of the theater to audiences around the world.”

The feature adaptation of the stage production, which opened in October, is planned for release later this year.

The post Spike Lee to Direct Film Version of David Byrne’s “American Utopia” appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Multiple outlets report that the media giant’s streaming service Apple TV+ has given the green light to a new series that will take an “inventive and cinematic approach to biographies of the most iconic figures in society today by using letters written by those whose lives have been changed through their work.”

The series hails from Emmy and Peabody Award winner RJ Cutler and its first season will feature Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Spike Lee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Yara Shahidi, Stevie Wonder, Aly Raisman, Misty Copeland, Big Bird and more.

Dear… is set to launch on Apple TV+ in the spring.

The post Oprah, Lin-Manuel Miranda Set for New Biography Series appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Lee is set to make history when he presides over the 73rd annual Cannes Film Festival jury, as the first black man to be chosen for the role. 

The 62-year-old filmmaker who has premiered seven films at the festival said he was “shocked, happy, surprised and proud” to learn that he will preside over the esteemed group. 

“In this life I have lived, my biggest blessings have been when they arrived unexpected, when they happened out of nowhere. When I got the call that I was offered the opportunity to be President of Cannes Jury for 2020, I was shocked, happy, surprised and proud all at the same time,” Lee said in a statement. “To me, the Cannes Film Festival (besides being the most important film festival in the world — no disrespect to anybody) has had a great impact on my film career. You could easily say Cannes changed the trajectory of who I became
in world cinema.”

“Spike Lee’s perspective is more valuable than ever. Cannes is a natural homeland and a global sounding board for those who (re)awaken minds and question our stances and fixed ideas,” the film festival’s official statement read.

The members of the 2020 Cannes jury are expected to be announced mid-April. 

The post Cannes 2020: Spike Lee Makes History appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Netflix has canceled the Spike Lee series. News of the cancelation was confirmed Wednesday by a representative for the streaming giant. 

“Spike Lee is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and we’re thrilled he brought the series She’s Gotta Have It (1986, based on his first feature film) to Netflix,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix. “While this is our last season, we’re very proud that it will be on our service for years to come, and excited to be working with Spike on his upcoming Netflix film Da 5 Bloods.”

She’s Gotta Have It premiered in 2017 and a month later was renewed for season 2. It starred DeWanda Wise as free-spirited artist Nola Darling. Anthony Ramos, Ilfenesh Hadera, Cleo Anthony, Lyriq Bent, Margot Bingham, Chyna Layne, and Fat Joe rounded out the cast. 

According to TVLine, Lee will shop the comedy elsewhere. 

The post “She’s Gotta Have It” Is Canceled appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

The project has been described as a story of “Vietnam veterans who go back to the jungle to find their lost innocence and put their broken selves back together.” Da 5 Bloods will be distributed by Netflix, and it serves as Lee’s first feature film with the streaming giant.

Lee co-wrote the screenplay with his BlacKkKlansman collaborator Kevin Wilmott. Their draft is based on the original version by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo and a rewrite by Matthew Billingsley. In addition to writing and directing, Lee will also be in charge of producing this project, along with Beatriz Levin, Lloyd Levin and Jon Kilik.

Production on Da 5 Bloods probably won’t start before March. Lee is currently busy with his Oscar campaign for BlacKkKlansman, which received a total of six nods at this year’s ceremony, which is taking place on February 24.

The post Chadwick Boseman Lands Lead Role in Spike Lee’s Next Film appeared first on Entertainment For Us.

Titled Son of the South the feature is based on Bob Zellner’s autobiography, The Wrong Side of Murder Creek: A White Southerner in the Freedom Movement. An Alabama native and grandson of a Ku Klux Klan member, a 22-year-old Zellner was pulled into the center of the civil rights movement in 1961. The young Zellener was inspired by those who crossed his path including Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. 

Brown will direct from a screenplay penned by Lee, who will also serve as an executive producer on the project.

Lee and Brown are long time collaborators. Their work together dates back to Lee’s 1986 film She’s Gotta Have It. Their latest collaboration, BlacKkKlansman, is vying for six Oscar including Best Picture.

Son of the South will begin principal photography in Montgomery, Alabama, this March. 

The post Spike Lee to Exec Produce “Son of the South” appeared first on Entertainment For Us.