Chris Pratt has signed on to star in another movie, but this one is not superhero or dinosaur-related. In fact, it’s not even a major blockbuster at all. Pratt will produce and star in a karate-themed coming of age movie titled Black Belt. The film revolves around a shy, unassuming teen on a quest to become a karate expert, and the unorthodox uncle who guides him along the way.
Pratt will play the uncle, and this should be a nice change of pace from the action heroes he’s been playing over the last half decade. For those that have wanted Pratt to get back to playing the sort of sweet, fun-loving Andy Dwyer-types like on Parks & Recreation, you may have gotten your wish (plus, Andy did also go by Johnny Karate on that show, so maybe this is just his karate dreams coming true?).
No director is attached to the project just yet, but Randall Green (Billions) has written the script, and Pratt will produce the film under his Indivisible Productions banner. Green also wrote the Netflix movie The Perfect Date and had a hand in penning the script for the LeBron James-led Space Jam: A New Legacy, which arrives next year.
Pratt’s Indivisible Productions has a first look deal at Universal, so if they want their hands on this project, they’ll get them. But it will also be fascinating to see which studios are indeed interested. In days gone by, a coming-of-age film led by a movie star would be a pretty safe bet, but with movie stars not as important as franchises with built-in audiences nowadays, that is no longer the case.
Pratt is also developing Saigon Bodyguards at Universal alongside the Russo Brothers, plus he’s also on board to star in the Amazon series The Terminal List. It kind of feels like he’s been stuck in the blockbuster realm for a while, so maybe these projects can allow him to forge his own movie star path away from the big franchises.
#Peace.Love.BlackBelt
