Following on the heels of his adaptation of James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk, Barry Jenkins is looking to bring another prominent black artist’s work to the big screen. Deadline reports Jenkins will direct Fox Searchlight’s untitled biopic on renowned choreographer Alvin Ailey, complete with all of his original choreography.
The project was set in motion last year when Fox struck a deal with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater “which granted full cooperation from the organization that controls the rights to Ailey’s choreography” and includes the rights to Jennifer Dunning’s biography “Alvin Ailey: A Life In Dance.” Jenkins and the film’s producers, one of which is Alicia Keys, will be working closely with the organization’s director and artistic director emerita, Robert Battle and Judith Jamison to fully realize the life and career of one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century.
Although Jenkins has won an Academy Award for his Moonlight screenplay, with Beale Street earning him another nomination, he won’t be writing the biopic’s script. That job goes to Julian Breece, who most recently penned two episodes of Ava DuVernay’s powerful When They See Us miniseries on Netflix.
Next up for Jenkins is penning an adaptation of black dirtbike riders documentary 12 O’Clock Boys for director Angel Manuel Soto.
Beyond proud and humbled to have the opportunity to bring Brother Ailey’s life to the screen alongside @julianbreece and my partners at @WePastel, @foxsearchlight and the wonderful folks of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ??♥️ — https://t.co/idgEjwlZen via @Deadline— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) June 3, 2019
