Sometimes it looks like the fates are conspiring against John Singleton's success. After launching his career into superstardom with Boyz 'n the Hood and Higher Learning, for whatever reason Singleton still wasn't considered one of Hollywood's golden boy filmmakers. He's taken on the mantle of director-for-hire lately, most recently helming the panned Taylor Lautner action vehicle, Abduction. Wasn't that supposed to be a no brainer hit? Apparently not. Singleton also saw himself briefly mentioned as possible director of Ice Cube's NWA film, Straight Outta Compton, but was quickly bumped aside for hotter options. What gives?
Where one hip hop flick falls, another one apparently rises. According to Vulture, Singleton has entered talks to helm the long the making Tupac biopic, which Antoine Fuqua(Training Day) has been developing for what seems like an eternity. Fuqua has long been attached to direct the film, with him spear heading a national search for an actor to play the charismatic rapper. That proved unsuccessful, and with Fuqua quickly piling up potential projects, he dropped out. Shortly thereafter, Fuqua returned by signing a lucrative pay-or-play deal with Morgan Creek. There's been zero movement on the film since, and Fuqua has moved on to directing Hunter Killer. That leaves an opening for Singleton to slide right in.
It seems like a natural fit. Other than Tupac's memorable performance in the gritty urban crime flick, Juice, his best role by far was in Singleton's Poetic Justice, opposite Janet Jackson. So he knows the rapper well, and if he does in fact sign should have some keen insight into the troubled casting process. Anthony Mackie played Tupac to some degree of success in the Biggie Smalls flick, Notorious, so why not give him another crack at it?
