There's no doubting the impact that Richard Pryor has had on modern comedy. Comedians like Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock have been extremely vocal about the impact Pryor had on their lives, and he's often called the best comedian of all time (though it's often a close call between him and George Carlin). Now, Pryor is set to be immortalized on film with a biopic about his life, and this week we got a few more details about the movie. The film has been in the works for years, but it now seems to be gaining traction with The Butler and Precious director Lee Daniels. After The Butler garnered positive critical reactions and a healthy $167 million box office take (from a mere $30 million budget), Daniels became a director to keep an eye on for the future, and seems a good fit for the project. As far as who will play Pryor in the film, the shortlist includes names like Eddie Murphy and Marlon Wayans (who've been on that list since the film first went into development) and Michael B. Jordan. Jordan is a rising star in Hollywood thanks to films like Chronicle and last year's Fruitvale Station, and has been rumored for a handful of big projects like Fox's Fantastic Four Reboot, Star Wars Episode VII, and Independence Day 2. He's obviously a bit younger than Murphy and Wayans, so it will be interesting to see what direction this film ends up taking.
James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment.
You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com
