Film News Roundup: ‘Black-ish’ Star Marsai Martin’s Comedy ‘Little’ in Development
In today’s film news roundup, Marsai Martin generates her own movie, Snoop Dogg joins a sci-fi parody, and Atlanta-based Blackhall launches a production company.
‘LITTLE’ PROJECT
“Black-ish” star Marsai Martin is executive producing and starring in Universal’s comedy “Little,” which is based on the 13-year-old’s idea.
The story focuses on an adult woman who gets the chance to relive her carefree youth after the pressures of adulthood overwhelm her. “Peeples” writer-director Tina Gordon Chism is attached to direct from the script, which was initially written by “Girls Trip” writer Tracy Oliver.
The project is set up with “Girls Trip” producers Will Packer and James Lopez along with “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris. “Girls Trip “star Regina Hall and Josh Martin will executive produce with Marsai Martin.
Marsai Martin has starred as a twin to Miles Brown’s character with Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross portraying their parents in the four seasons of ABC’s “Black-ish.” She is repped by Paradigm, Untitled and Meyers & Downs. Gordon is repped by ICM Partners and Ziffren Brittenham.
CASTING
Snoop Dogg has joined the cast of the cast of the parody movie “Unbelievable!” opposite Nichelle Nichols and is executive producing for Archangel Films.
Steven L. Fawcette is directing a story of four off-beat astronauts who travel to the Moon on a rescue mission and wind up trying to save the Earth from plant aliens.
The cast includes a puppet created by the Chiodo Brothers, who created the “Team America: World Police” puppets. The film also stars over forty former “Star Trek” actors including Armin Shimerman, Robert Picardo, Marina Sirtis, Nana Visitor, Walter Koenig, Michael Dorn, Julie Warner, Dina Meyer, Olivia d’Abo, Jeffrey Combs, John Billingsley, Max Grodenchik, and Casey Biggs.
The original score is written and composed by Gerald Fried, the last living composer from the original “Star Trek” series.
PRODUCTION FINANCE
Atlanta’s Blackhall Studios has launched its new film production company, Blackhall Entertainment, allowing the studio to finance and produce its own content with the aim of generating up to four films annually.
Its first project is the horror thriller, “Schoolhouse,” which follows four teenage graffiti artists who hide from the police in an old abandoned schoolhouse, where they quickly discover the building is occupied by someone for their own dark purposes.
The film is directed by Steven Perez from a script by Jennifer Perez and Steven Perez. It is produced by Steven Perez and Eric Hooge and executive produced by Ryan Millsap. The cast includes Scott Rosenfeld, Paige Hullett, Cameron Chester, Daniel Annone, Christian Sholfield, Michael Anthony Begozzi, Amber Neukum, Tyler Buckingham, and Chris Charm.
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