Variety is reporting that Deamworks and Steven Spielberg have just bought the rights to the life story of Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King
King, who was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis at the age of 39, copyrighted his speeches, books and famous works during his lifetime. The DreamWorks project marks the first film to be authorized by King’s estate and gives the producers the right to utilize King’s intellectual property — including his famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered during the 1963 March on Washington — to create the definitive portrait of his life.
“We are all honored that the King Estate is giving us the opportunity to tell the story of these defining, historic events,” Spielberg said. “It is our hope that the creative power of film and the impact of Dr. King’s life can combine to present a story of undeniable power that we can all be proud of.”
Now the fun begins. Who do you think will be cast in the role of MLK? The easy guesses are Will Smith and Denzel Washington. In fact, I can already see them off in the distance preparing a fight to the death over the role.