After Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith hopped on board as producers for the Broadway play Fela!, the news emerges that the story of Fela is being brought to the silver screen. According to Variety, Focus Features has tapped Steve McQueen (Hunger) to direct Fela, based on the life of musician/activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The film and the play are apparently unconnected, with the film basing the pic on his music and life story, as well as Michael Veal’s book Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon. McQueen plans on penning the script with Biyi Bandele, with the flick expected to center Fela’s life and experience with oppression in Nigeria. Now, all we need is a box anthology, an art instillation and about three more books and we’ve got this important man’s life covered.
