Eddie Murphy and Dreamgirls director Bill Condon will reunite to bring the noise to an untitled George Clinton biopic.
Suppose you notice an extra groove in Amazon MGM Studios‘s step. In that case, it’s because they’ve just announced plans for an untitled George Clinton biopic starring Eddie Murphy as the legendary funk musician and leader of the Parliament Funkadelic. The project finds Murphy reuniting with Dreamgirls director Bill Condon, whose next feature, Kiss of the Spider Woman, stars Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh.
Murphy played James’ Thunder’ Early in 2006’s Dreamgirls, an R&B and soul singer inspired by James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and Marvin Gaye. Dreamgirls, starring Eddie Murphy, Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Danny Glover, and Anika Noni Rose, was an awards darling in the year of its release, with Hudson taking home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, among other accolades.
Virgil Williams will pen the script for Condon’s untitled George Clinton biopic, based on Max Werner’s original draft. A lifelong George Clinton fan, Catherine Davis brought the idea to Murphy, who, in addition to playing Clinton, produces through Eddie Murphy Productions. Other producers include John Davis of Davis Entertainment, Catherine Davis, and Greg Yolen. Eddie Murphy Productions’ Charisse Hewitt-Webster, as well as George Clinton, Archie Ivy, and Jeff Jampol, are executive producing.
The untitled George Clinton biopic is based on the funk legend’s memoir Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You? The story chronicles Clinton’s challenging evolution from a musician hoping to make his mark to forming the Parliament Funkadelic, a collective synonymous with good vibes, attitude, and boundless energy. The band’s influence reaches far and wide, with groups like Digital Underground, Dr. Dre, De La Soul, LL Cool J, and Snoop Dogg citing them as inspiration. Clinton’s music breaks the barriers between musical genres, with acts such as Primal Scream, Talking Heads, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Prince, and Janelle Monáe taking cues from Parliament Funkadelic’s themes and sound.
What do you think about Eddie Murphy and Bill Dondon partnering for an untitled George Clinton biopic? Are you a Parliament Funkadelic fan? How long will it take the hair and makeup team to give Murphy Clinton’s signature dreads? Let us know in the comments section below.