The Fighting Shirley Chisholm film project has undergone a major retooling. The project was once set at Amazon with Viola Davis starring as Chisholm and Maggie Betts directing.

The film doesn’t appear to be at Amazon now (where Davis is under a first-look film deal under her JuVee Productions). Danai Gurira is now attached as the star with Cherien Dabis as the director. Stephanie Allain, who was attached as a producer from the beginning, is still on board.

Written by Adam Countee, Deadline states that the project is “less a biopic than a snapshot of Chisholm’s groundbreaking campaign, as the first Black female in Congress became the first woman and the first person of color to seek a major American political party’s presidential nomination. Her run challenged the status quo through her efforts to gain enough delegates to speak for the people at the Democratic National Convention.”

Chisholm was recently portrayed on the small screen by Uzo Aduba in FX on Hulu’s Mrs. America. Aduba won an Emmy for her work.

Photo: Getty Images

The Fighting Shirley Chisholm

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week