After years of attempts at telling the story of the legendary comedian on the big screen, MGM has acquired the rights to a new iteration of a Richard Pryor biopic with Kenya Barris (Black-ish) attached to write, direct and produce the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Having had a front-row seat to much of Richard’s life, I am excited that the mystery of his genius is finally going to be explored and Kenya Barris is the perfect person to do it,” Lee Pryor said in a statement.
The untitled project will be produced by Barris via his Khalabo Ink Society production banner alongside Pryor’s widow Jennifer Lee Pryor for her Tarnished Angel banner and Tory Metzger for Levantine Films, while Adam Rosenberg is attache to executive produce the film.
“Pryor had a voice that was distinctly his and, in many ways, comedy since then has been derivative of what he created.