Black Is King co-director Blitz Bazawule announced Monday that he was ‘honored’ to have been selected to helm the big-screen adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, The Color Purple.
‘Honored to be reimagining Alice Walker’s classic novel The Color Purple for a new generation,’ the Ghanaian 38-year-old tweeted.
‘Beyond grateful to have the legends Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones, and Scott Sanders as my producers alongside Warner Bros Studios. Get ready for something AMAZING!’
Maestro: Black Is King co-director Blitz Bazawule announced Monday that he was ‘honored’ to have been selected to helm the big-screen adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, The Color Purple (pictured April 15)
The Ghanaian 38-year-old tweeted: ‘Honored to be reimagining Alice Walker’s classic novel The Color Purple for a new generation. Beyond grateful to have the legends Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones, and Scott Sanders as my producers alongside Warner Bros Studios. Get ready for something AMAZING!’
Blitz (born Samuel) was one of nine credited directors, including Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, on her newly-released Disney+ musical film and visual album.
But it was Bazawule’s 2018 feature directorial debut The Burial Of Kojo, now streaming on Netflix, which ‘wowed’ The Color Purple producers with ‘his vibrant visual style.’
‘From #BlackIsKing to now #TheColorPurple, @blitzambassador has the perfect director’s brush for the next evolution of this beloved story,’ Oprah Winfrey tweeted on Monday.
On the set: Blitz (2-L) was one of nine credited directors, including Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, on her newly-released Disney+ musical film and visual album
Now streaming on Netflix! But it was Bazawule’s 2018 feature directorial debut The Burial Of Kojo, which ‘wowed’ The Color Purple producers with ‘his vibrant visual style’
Oprah Winfrey tweeted on Monday: ‘From #BlackIsKing to now #TheColorPurple, @blitzambassador has the perfect director’s brush for the next evolution of this beloved story. He blew us away with his unique vision for the upcoming musical film version and we can’t wait for you to see it purple heart’
‘He blew us away with his unique vision for the upcoming musical film version and we can’t wait for you to see it purple heart.’
Marcus Gardley (The Chi) will pen a new screenplay centering on the Broadway musical book by Marsha Norman with music by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray – according to Deadline.
It’s unclear if filmmakers plan on casting unknowns or established talent from the Broadway musical casts like LaChanze, Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Hudson, and Danielle Brooks.
Marcus Gardley penning new screenplay: It’s unclear if filmmakers plan on casting unknowns or established talent from the Broadway musical casts like LaChanze, Cynthia Erivo (M), Jennifer Hudson, and Danielle Brooks (R, pictured in 2016)
Misogyny: The musical – which ran 2005-2008 at The Broadway Theatre and 2015-2017 at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre – omitted much of the abuse Celie suffered at the hand Mister (Danny Glover and Whoopi Goldberg pictured in the 1985 film)
Robbed! Steven Spielberg’s (R) fantastic 1985 film version – starring Whoopi Goldberg (L), Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, and Oprah Winfrey – was notoriously snubbed at the Academy Awards where it lost all 11 nominations
The musical – which ran 2005-2008 at The Broadway Theatre and 2015-2017 at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre – omitted much of the misogyny and abuse protagonist Celie suffered at the hand of her husband Albert ‘Mister’ Johnson.
Steven Spielberg’s fantastic 1985 film version – starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, and Oprah Winfrey – was notoriously snubbed at the Academy Awards where it lost all 11 nominations.
Author Alice Walker’s 1982 epistolary novel about poor African-American families in early 20th century Georgia earned her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.
Literary classic: Author Alice Walker’s 1982 epistolary novel about poor African-American families in early 20th century Georgia earned her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction