John Singleton has signed on to direct a biopic about the late rapper Tupac Shakur, Variety reports. After the project has been shelved countless times, Singleton will rewrite, direct and produce the film.
He was previously linked to the biopic years ago but the deal fell through. According to Variety, Morgan Creek announced in November at the American Film Market that the film was given the go-ahead and plans to start filming in the spring. The biopic has not been given a name yet.
"Tupac was the guy who I planned to do a lifetime of films with," Singleton said. "His passing deeply affected my life as well as countless people in this world. His life story is as important to my generation."
Singleton, a close friend of Shakur's family, worked with the rapper for the 1993 film "Poetic Justice." Three years later, in 1996, Shakur was murdered following a boxing match in Las Vegas.
According to the Daily Mail, one of the reasons the film kept getting postponed was due to fear that directors wouldn't be able to capture Shakur's true essence and personality.
"Fans of the mercurial, outspoken, controversial and supremely talented rapper are rabid in their defense of their hero and many directors have failed to find the nerve to even try and capture his spirit on the big screen," the site writes.
Variety also claims a lawsuit between Morgan Creek and Shakur's mother, Afeni, slowed things down. The legal battle was settled between the two and Afeni will be an executive producer on the project.
Singleton and Morgan Creek will now focus on casting a lead actor to play Shakur, which in the past has proven to be difficult. Morgan Creek held an open casting call years ago but it fell through, Variety reports.
Anthony Mackie played Shakur in the 2009 movie "Notorious" about the late Notorious B.I.G.
