Lee Daniels has gone biopic crazy, and considering the success he found with civil rights drama The Butler, it's not really a surprise. While the film was still in development he became attached to a Janis Joplin biopic with Amy Adams; has circled a Sammy Davis Jr. film over at HBO; and has spoken frequently about making a Richard Pryor bio. It's that last project that has taken a big step forward into reality, as THR reports Daniels is in talks to helm a film on the legendary comedian.
Daniels will partner up with The Weinstein Company, who distributed The Butler and are fully committing to back the untitled biopic financially. In development for some years and once titled Is It Something I Said? , Eddie Murphy and Damon Wayans have long been seen as contenders for the lead role, and they are apparently still in the mix alongside Michael B. Jordan. There's a pretty big age disparity there, and Wayans is said to be the right age and has impressed Harvey Weinstein in screen tests. Jordan is red-hot right now coming off another biopic, Fruitvale Station, and may have the overall edge.
Everyone from Adam Sandler to Forest Whitaker to Bill Condon has tried to get this film off the ground so let's just wait and see if Daniels sticks. As for who would do Pryor the justice he deserves? Jordan has the look and could probably knock it out of the park, but aging him up could prove to be a problem. Let's just wait and see what happens.
