In a major win for the studio, Fox Searchlight has landed prolific director, Shadow And Act Game-Changer Award winner and Oscar winner Barry Jenkins to helm a film based on the life of Alvin Ailey.

We reported back in March of 2018 that Searchlight inked a deal to develop a film based on the life and work of Alvin Ailey, with the full support of the Ailey organization. The organization owns the rights to his choreography. They also have the rights to Jennifer Dunning’s biography Alvin Ailey: A Life In Dance.

This project is next on the Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk director’s to-do list following his Amazon limited series, The Underground Railroad. He also scripted a version of Twelve (fka 12 O’Clock Boys), the upcoming coming-of-age drama starring Jahi Winston, Will Catlett, Teyonah Parris and Meek Mill.

Julian Breece will write the script for this Ailey project. Fox Searchlight is working with Artistic Director Robert Battle and Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison in order to bring the story to the big screen.

The previous producers are Judy Kinberg, Alicia Keys and Susan Lewis from AK Worldwide, Rachel Cohen and Jana Edelbaum from iDeal Partners. With the news of Jenkins’ attachment, he and Adele Romanski are producing for Jenkins’ PASTEL.

Deadline first reported this news.

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