A biopic on Queen Latifah is now in the works as a part of a new venture from Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment, Will Smith‘s Westbrook Studios and Jesse Collins Entertainment, Blavity’s Shadow and Act has confirmed.
The companies are joining together to produce biopics on iconic hip-hop stars, with this one being the first. The slate of projects will be independently financed by HarborView Equity Partners, led by Sherrese Clarke Soares.
Additional details about the Queen Latifah film, as well as the other projects, will be released in the coming months. Aside from financing, HarbourView is also providing “access to its extensive portfolio of over 70+ music catalogs that feature thousands of titles spanning numerous genres, eras, and artists for potential development opportunities.”
Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere are producing the Queen Latifah biopic on behalf of Flavor Unit Entertainment, and Will Smith and Miguel Melendez are producing for Westbrook Studios. Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon are producing for ng film for Jesse Collins Entertainment, Charlie Mack is also a producer.
“We all came into this industry together and Hip Hop has shaped each and every one of us. Hip Hop’s impact has expanded beyond just music and has created a lasting impression on culture and society overall,” said Queen Latifah and Compere in a statement. “It is a dream to be able to collaborate with friends and colleagues that have not only a shared understanding, but are able to tell these stories that were the backdrop of our lives.”
“When you bring talented people and teams together, you can create something truly special, said Smith. “I’m thrilled to work alongside Flavor Unit, Jesse Collins Entertainment and HarbourView, to highlight the incredible stories of some of our favorite artists and icons. There’s no better story to start with than the one of Queen Latifah, an undisputed legend who has both entertained and inspired us for so many years.”
“We cannot be more excited to stand alongside our friends at HarbourView, Flavor Unit and Westbrook,” said Collins. “Queen Latifah’s story is one of triumph that needs to be shared with the world. Joining forces with such amazing people to educate and inspire through storytelling is just the beginning of the impact this partnership will have.”
“As a girl from Queens, Hip-Hop fundamentally shaped who I am. Music and storytelling was my passport to destinations both familiar and untraveled,” said Clarke Soares. “It is an honor to partner with Flavor Unit, Jesse Collins Entertainment, and Westbrook to tell these stories and document Queen Latifah’s journey and her undeniable impact on the world.”
“On behalf of Westbrook, we are thrilled to have brought together such incredible partners in Jesse Collins Entertainment and Flavor Unit Entertainment to produce some truly exciting hip hop biopics,” said Denise Bailey-Castro, CFO, Westbrook Inc. “This unique partnership, with support from HarbourView, will allow us to combine our resources and best-in-class production capabilities to tell the culture-defining stories of these hip hop, legends in a premium way.”