Michael Jai White, Tyson Beckford Sought For Jean-Claude LaMarre‘s ‘Chocolate City’Posted by Wilson Morales
May 21, 2014
Source: Deadline
According to Deadline, Michael Jai White and Tyson Beckford are in negotiations to do a “Black” version of “Magic Mike.” Titled “Chocolate City,” the film will be directed by Jean-Claude LaMarre, who’s looking to bring tell his urban take on male strippers.
The story would be about Devin, a college student struggling to make ends meet who meets the owner of a male strip club (White) who convinces him to give amateur night a whirl. The sites states that Beckford will play Adrian, the club’s former star attraction who finds his popularity fading as the new kid starts to steal the spotlight.
LaMarre’s last theatrical film was ‘Gang of Roses 2: The Next Generation,’ the sequel to the 2003 western action film that starred Monica Calhoun, Lil’ Kim, Lisa Raye, Charity Hill, Bobby Brown, and Stacy Dash. He is best known for his 2006’s ‘Color of the Cross,’ in which he wrote, directed and acted in the film as a black Jesus Christ. Besides Tyler Perry, La Marre has directed more films in recent years than any other black director.
He will produce the film through his Nulite production company along with actor Gabriel Casseus, Robert Aaronson, and Rozina Negusei of Zanar Entertainment. Although he has a deal with Eone’s non-theatrical division to showcase his faith themed films, he’s hoping maybe this film garner interest to release it in theaters.
White, who has several films and TV shows to his credit, including Black Dynamite and Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse, recently had a recurring role on The CW’s Arrow. Model-turned-actor Beckford will next be seen in Bille Woodruff’s Addicted, which Lionsgate will distribute in the Fall.
