Co-director of Beyonce’s Black Is King feature to direct musical film adaptation of The Color Purple

Photo credit: Matthew Murphy

According to Deadline, Blitz Bazawule (who recently co-directed Beyonce’s Black Is King) will direct the upcoming musical film adaptation of The Color Purple.

The screenplay will be written by Marcus Gardley, based on the Broadway production of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel. The story follows the lives and relationships between African-American families in early twentieth century Georgia.

The musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2005, features a stunning score of multiple genres including gospel, jazz and blues by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, with a book by Marsha Norman.

The show received 11 Tony Award nominations in 2006, of which LaChanze won for her leading performance as Celie. The 2015 revival production received 4 Tony nominations and won for Best Revival of a Musical and for Cynthia Erivo in her Broadway debut.

Whilst there is no confirmed news on casting, it has been rumoured that Erivo might reprise her award-winning performance as Celie.

Watch this space, Besties!