Wesley Snipes has joined Eddie Murphy in Dolemite Is My Name!, the Netflix biopic of envelope-pushing comedian and film producer Rudy Ray Moore. Also coming on board the cast are Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Mike Epps and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) is directing the film which will revolve around the Godfather of Rap, as Moore is often called. Prior to his death in 2008, he was known for reciting sexually explicit rhymes in his comedy, with often stark depictions of hustlers, pimps and prostitutes. He originally broke through in 1970s Hollywood when his underground records became popular in black communities.
He used the proceeds to produce and star in Dolemite, a notorious blaxploitation movie featuring kung-fu fighting prostitutes. The film became an underground sensation and spawned two official sequels and an unofficial one.
Murphy will play Moore while Snipes will portray D’Urville Martin, an arrogant actor and alcoholic who ends up directing Dolemite. It’s unclear at the moment who the rest of the new casting additions will be playing.
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Man On The Moon, American Crime Story) have penned the script. Production on the film gets underway this week in Los Angeles, and Netflix reportedly plans to launch the movie sometime in 2019.
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