A couple of years ago Don Cheadle made his directorial debut with Miles Ahead, turning the real-life story of jazz legend Miles Davis into a wild work of fiction. Now Cheadle is reteaming with that film's writer, Steven Baigelman, for another true story of a historic African-American. He'll produce and star in Prince of Darkness, which details the life of 19th-century black millionaire, Jeremiah G. Hamilton.
The film is an adaptation of Shane White's biography, Prince Of Darkness: The Untold Story Of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, Wall Street’s First Black Millionaire. Hamilton is definitely someone who has been ignored by history for the most part. After fleeing from Haiti to New York, Hamilton struck it big as a land agent and broker, dealing almost exclusively in the world of whites. He married a white woman, bought a mansion in New Jersey, and owned stock in things he wasn't legally able to use as a black man, such as railroads.
At this point Cheadle isn't planning to direct, but don't be surprised if that changes. Cheadle and Baigelman worked hard to get Miles Ahead completed last time, spending years raising the funds. This is a project that may also need a lot of guidance and personal attention. [Variety]
