Deadline reports that Ali Le Roi, Executive producer and co-creator of the popular comedy Everybody Hates Chris, is slated to direct a forthcoming film titled The Obituary of Tunde Johnson.
The film will focus on a myriad of imminent and pressing issues in today's society. The film is written by Nigerian-born USC student Stanley Kalu, winner of The Launch's million-dollar screenplay competition which offers a fellowship to screenwriters around the world. The story will follow a wealthy, black high school student who finds himself trapped in a perpetual loop of police brutality. Production for the film is expected to begin later this month, but a cast has yet to be confirmed.
Fans of Ali LeRoi's are bound to resonate with the project, and the success of previous projects addressing police brutality promises to bring a large audience. Recent film The Hate U Give starring Amandla Stenberg and Issa Rae is an example. The film tells the story of Starr Carter, a teenager whose life is changed when she witnesses the police fatally shooting her unarmed, childhood friend. Adapted from New York Times best-selling novel by Angie Thomas, the film also explores the effects of police brutality from the scope of young people and families. It has been heralded for drawing inspiration from the Black Lives Matter movement.
