Deadline is reporting that David Oyelowo will make his feature directorial debut with ‘The Water Man’ and that Oprah Winfrey has come onboard as an executive producer. The two appeared together in Lee Daniels’ The Butler as well as Ava DuVernay‘s Oscar-nominated film, Selma.
Written by Emma Needell, Oyelowo will appear in the film along with Rosario Dawson, This Is Us star Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller (War for the Planet of the Apes ), Alfred Molina (Vice), and Maria Bello (History of Violence).
The story centers on precocious young boy Gunner (Chavis) who, in order to save his ill mother (Dawson), runs away from home with a local misfit Jo (Miller), to find the legendary figure called the Water Man who has been said to have the power to cheat death. While extremely close to his mother, he and his father Amos (Oyelowo) are forced to learn about each other as Amos goes on the search for his son.
Shivani Rawat of ShivHans Pictures is financing the project as well as producing with Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films. Carla Gardini and Monica Levinson are also producers.
“The Water Man as written by Emma Needell is that rare, beautiful script that can touch your heart and challenge your mind while also lifting your spirits,” said Oyelowo. “I feel blessed to be entrusted with bringing this imaginative and moving story to life.”
Oyelowo recently starred in The Cloverfield Paradox, Gringo, and the Blumhouse-produced thriller, Relive, which debuted at Sundance earlier this year.
Upcoming projects includes Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2, the Doug Liman-helmed sci-fi film, Chaos Walking, and Come Away, the fantasy drama in which he stars opposite Angelina Jolie.
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