Chance the Rapper has reportedly signed on to develop a feature musical with MGM, entitled Hope.
Chancelor Bennett, better known by his stage name Chance the Rapper, has had a career of non-stop evolution and reinvention. In recent years, the 25-year-old has gravitated towards a more gospel-inspired style, leaving some of the hip hop bravado behind and experimenting with more melodic, in some cases jazzy songs. Now, he is branching out even further, as MGM has announced his latest project — a feature-length musical for the big screen.
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According to a press release, MGM has acquired the rights to work with Chance, who has become a sought-after commodity in the entertainment world. The project will be made in collaboration with Chance’s long-time manager, Pat Corcoran of Haight Films, as well as Scott Bernstein of Tradecraft. Bernstein also worked as a producer on Straight Outta Compton.
The screenplay comes from Carlito Rodriguez, known for both Empire and The Leftovers. Meanwhile the original music will be overseen by Nico Segal, a producer and songwriter who has worked with Chance for years. MGM Motion Picture Group President Jonathan Glickman raved about Segal and Chance in a statement on Tuesday.
“Chance and Nico are undoubtedly two of the most influential and innovative artists of their generation,” he said. “We feel thrilled, privileged, and eager to be collaborating with them on such a unique project.”
The exact contents of the project are still unknown, though MGM’s press release seems to hint that it will fall in line with Chance’s various efforts to support the city of Chicago. The rapper has undertaken a lot of community organizing and philanthropic initiatives over the years, which were referenced in the release.
MGM also pointed out Chance’s #SaveChicago initiative, to combat gun violence, his donation of $1 million to local schools and Social Works, his organization which aims to bring art, education and civic engagement to disenfranchised youth. This could very well be a hint about the movie’s content, and the theory is further bolstered by a statement from Corcoran.
“From day one, our mission at Haight Films’ has been to apply Haight Brand’s artist-first and Chicago-proud ideology to the film space,” he said. “We are incredibly excited to be working alongside Chance, MGM and Scott Bernstein to bring this vision to life.”
Check back for more information on Chance the Rapper‘s musical as it becomes available.
