According to Deadline, The Inspection director is in talks to helm Hyde Park Entertainment Group’s upcoming biopic about tennis great Arthur Ashe. Skydance Sports is also joining the project, with BlacKkKlansman screenwriter Kevin Willmott to write.

Ashok Amritraj, the head of Hyde Park Entertainment Group, will produce with Hyde Park’s Priya Amritraj. Freedom Principle’s Algernal Gordon is also producing, along with Ashe’s widow and photographer/activist Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and Alexandra Dell.

The first biopic details were first announced in 2020

News of the biopic was originally announced in 2020, along with the news that Warner Music Group was also attached to provide era-appropriate music for the film, including songs from Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and Prince.

Amritraj has been extremely interested in getting an Ashe biopic made due to his and his family’s own investment in tennis. Amritraj was one of the top tennis players of Indian descent, and he and his brothers Anand and Vijay were some of the first Indians to play in top-flight international tour tennis, according to Wikipedia. His nephew, Prakash Amritraj—a tennis pro in his own right—now does commentary on the Tennis Channel, contributes to GQ India, and is co-owner of Miami Pickleball Club with football star Patrick Mahomes, tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, sports agent Rich Paul, and Norwegian DJ and record producer Kygo. Like his uncle, Prakash also owns a film production and finance company, Sterling Road Films.

Film will explore Ashe’s athletic career and activism

With such a prestigious background in tennis, it makes sense that the Arthur Ashe Estate would grant Amritraj and Hyde Park Productions Group their full support in creating the film. As expected, the film will focus on Ashe’s life as a tennis celebrity and pioneer, including becoming the first Black player to join the United States Davis Cup team and the only Black male player to win Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.

Ashe was also a civil rights activist, speaking out not only on behalf of global issues such as Apartheid and protections for Haitian refugees, but also for HIV and AIDS awareness after he contracted HIV in 1983 from a blood transfusion he received during heart bypass surgery. He founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS as a result and talked openly about his diagnosis and the misconceptions surrounding the disease.

As for Bratton, he’s in post-production on By Any Means starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg.

The post Elegance Bratton In Talks To Direct Arthur Ashe Biopic As Skydance Sports Joins Project appeared first on Blavity.



Source link
#Elegance #Bratton #Talks #Direct #Arthur #Ashe #Biopic #Skydance #Sports #Joins #Project #Blavity

powered by Auto Youtube Summarize

The post Elegance Bratton In Talks To Direct Arthur Ashe Biopic As Skydance Sports Joins Project – Blavity first appeared on Blaqly.