Premature helmer Rashaad Ernesto Green is set to direct ’68, a drama about the historic 1968 Olympics Black Power salute protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos during a medal presentation, for MGM, Participant and Macro.
Billy Ray will pen the screenplay about the American Olympians and track athletes who medaled at the Mexico City games and raised their black-gloved fists and bowed their heads to protest racial inequality in America once on the winners podium.
Carlos’ nephews, Airrion and Shaun McCoy, and DeLois Smith, the wife of Tommie Smith, will co-produce the film. Participant and Macro will also produce the project, along with Stacy Sherman.
Ernesto Green is known for his debut feature Gun Hill Road and his sophomore film, Premature, which debuted at Sundance and landed on Hulu.
“Still incredibly powerful and relevant, I’m honored for the opportunity to bring Tommie and John’s riveting story to life; to portray the weight of the world these two giants had on their shoulders and the self-determination, courage and sacrifice it took for them to stand up for all of us,” said Ernesto Green in a statement.
Ray wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-nominated Captain Phillips and other films like Richard Jewell, Overlord, The Hunger Games, State of Play, Breach and Shattered Glass, as well as Showtime’s The Comey Rule.
“We are deeply grateful to Tommie and John, along with Rashaad, Stacy, Billy, Participant and Macro, to entrust MGM to bring their story to the world,” Michael De Luca, MGM Film Group chairman, and Pam Abdy, MGM Film Group president, added in their own statement.
Ernesto Green is represented by WME and Granderson Des Rochers. Ray is represented by CAA.
Source: Hollywood
