Way back in 2009, Samuel L. Jackson was attached to star in an adaptation of the nonfiction bestseller "Same Kind Of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, An International Art Dealer, And The Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together," by Denver Moore, Ron Hall and Lynn Vincent, which tells the true story of 3 unlikely people who team up to try and solve homelessness in Fort Worth, Texas.

The longer, and more intriguing description reads: "A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel. A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it. It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana… and an East Texas honky-tonk…. and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda… an upscale New York gallery… a downtown dumpster… a Texas ranch. Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love."

Jackson was set to play Denver Moore (the "dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton," who develops an unlikely friendship with a wealthy Dallas art dealer named Ron Hall, after they meet at a homeless shelter where Hall was volunteering.

In the above photo are the real life Denver Moore and Ron Hall. 

Skip ahead 5 years, to news that Renee Zellweger has signed up to co-star in the film adaptation of the book, playing (from the title) "the unlikely woman who bound them together" – Ron Hall’s wife, who introduced him to Denver Moore.

And now confirmed, we can say that Djimon Hounsou has in fact replaced Samuel L. Jackson to play Denver Moore (news I shared a week ago, based on the then issue of Production Weekly, but wasn’t entirely certain of).

Playing Ron Hall will be Greg Kinnear.

And also Jon Voight has joined the cast.

The project is set up at Paramount with Mary Parent and Darren Moorman producing.

Michael Carney is attached to direct from a script penned by Alexander Foard, Michael Carney, and Ron Hall

If you read the book, I’d love to read your thoughts. If you’d like to buy a copy of the book, click here.

Hounsou was most recently seen in Marvel’s top-grosser "Guardians of the Galaxy" earlier this year.