John Boyega will join the cast of Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming movie about the 1967 Detroit riot.
Boyega, who saw breakout success with his role in Star Wars, is the first major star to be formally announced in what’s being described as an ensemble cast, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Hannah Murray of Game of Thrones is also rumored to be in talks for the film.
The as yet untitled film has a screenplay by Mark Boal (who also wrote Zero Dark Thirty and The Hurt Locker) and will focus on the systemic racism that drove the five-day rioting.
Bigelow and her team are reportedly hoping to release the film in 2017, pegged to the 50th anniversary of the riot. Other upcoming projects for Boyega include The Circle, Pacific Rim: Maelstrom and Star Wars: Episode VIII.
- What We Know So Far About the Deadly Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
- Beyoncé's Album of the Year Snub Fits Into the Grammys' Long History of Overlooking Black Women
- How the U.S. Shot Down the Alleged Chinese Spy Balloon
- Effective Altruism Has a Toxic Culture of Sexual Harassment and Abuse, Women Say
- Inside Bolsonaro's Surreal New Life as a Florida Man—and MAGA Darling
- 'Return to Office' Plans Spell Trouble for Working Moms
- 8 Ways to Read More Books—and Why You Should
- Why Aren't Movies Sexy Anymore?
- How Logan Paul's Crypto Empire Fell Apart