A film about Fred Hampton is coming from Warner Brothers, reportedly titled Jesus Was My Homeboy.
Hampton was the founder and chairman of the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party. On Dec. 4, 1969, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation ordered Chicago police to infiltrate the party’s headquarters. The officers let out a round of 83 to 90 shots, execution style and the brutal image of Hampton’s bloodied 21-year-old body was etched into our brains forever. That killing was later revealed to be the plan of an ongoing federal conspiracy called COINTELPRO. Fellow BPP member Mark Clark, aged 22, was also killed during the bust.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Black Panther, Widows) and Lakeith Stanfield (Sorry To Bother You, Atlanta) are currently in negotiations to lead the film. To finish off a dream team of creators, Ryan Coogler will be producing, along with Charles D. King’s production company, Macro. Shaka King (High Maintenance, People of Earth) will helm the film and also act as producer. King co-wrote the script with Will Berson.
Per THR’s plot description:
Should deal make, Kaluuya would play Hampton, that enigmatic activist and organizer that quickly ascended the ranks of the Black Panther Party becoming the chairman of the Illinois chapter and deputy chairman of the national party before being assassinated at 21 during a coordinated raid by a tactical unit with orders from the FBI and Chicago PD. Stanfield would play William O’Neal, the FBI informant that infiltrated the Black Panthers and provided information that assisted in Hampton’s assassination.
Jesus Was My Homeboy will look at the rise and death of Hampton via O’Neal’s perspective.
This plot = wow. Imagine the acting that will be required for this. And imagine the good hands this will be in, should these two seal the deal. I can see the “for your consideration” acting award campaign clips now.
Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler and MACRO’s Kim Roth and Poppy Hanks will serve as executive producers.
Hurry up and close this deal—then proceed to hurry up and take my money.