Lee Daniels is working to set his first feature directorial effort since The Butler.

Variety reports sources say Daniels is in talks to direct a Billie Holiday biopic, aptly titled Billie.

The top choices for the leads are Andra Day and Lakeith Stanfield, although casting isn’t final.

Pulitzer winner Suzan-Lori Parks is writing the script. Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum are producing. Mark Bomback, who has been developing the project with them, is an executive producer.

Jazz legend and music pioneer Holiday infamously got the biopic treatment back in 1972 starring Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams. Ross earned an Academy Award nomination for the role.

Variety notes with Daniels busy with his Fox shows, Empire and Star, he has been looking for his next feature film for some time.

No studio is attached, and therefore no idea when production would begin, but once deals solidify the hope is that filming would kick off by the end of the year.

Billie

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