Definitive ‘Snoop Dogg’ Biopic in the Works at Universal

Incorporating music from his vast catalogue, Universal Pictures is developing the definitive biopic of entertainment industry mogul and icon of gangsta rap, “Snoop Dogg,” which will mark the first film from Snoop Dogg’s’s Death Row Pictures, the studio announced Wednesday.

Joe Robert Cole (the “Black Panther” films) will write the screenplay. Allen Hughes (“Menace to Society”) is attached to direct.

Snoop Dogg will produce with Sara Ramaker for their Death Row Pictures, alongside Hughes.

Also Read:
Winston Duke Joins Universal’s ‘The Fall Guy’

“I waited a long time to put this project together because I wanted to choose the right director, the perfect writer, and the greatest movie company I could partner with that could understand the legacy that I’m trying to portray on screen, and the memory I’m trying to leave behind,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement to TheWrap. “It was the perfect marriage. It was holy matrimony, not holy macaroni.”

Donna Langley, Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group added: “Snoop Dogg’s life and legacy make him one of the most exciting and influential icons in popular culture. We met with Snoop shortly after he acquired Death Row Records and had the opportunity to hear his story in his own words. We are humbled to be able to create the lasting document of this singular artist.”

Joe Robert Cole added: “I’ve been a fan of Snoop since ‘Deep Cover.’ His music and the films of Allen Hughes have left an indelible mark on me over my life. What excites me most is the humanity of Snoop’s journey to international icon. Universal has proven they can guide a movie like this to something special. I’m proud to be a part of the team.”

Allen Hughes added: “Snoop Dogg is one of the most internationally beloved figures in hip-hop. There’s just something about his energy that brings people of all walks of life together. Snoop Dogg, not just the artist, but the man and his brand, has transcended generations with his connection and appeal to audiences. His story is so authentic and utterly inspiring, and to have the opportunity to tell his story allows me to go back to the hood 30 years after ‘Menace II Society,’ and say more now than I could then.”

Also Read:
‘Black Panther,’ ‘Knives Out’ Sequels Top the Most Anticipated Movies of November | Chart

Snoop Dogg has reigned for nearly three decades as an unparalleled force who has raised the bar as a globally recognized innovator. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, DJ, media personality, businessman and empire builder. In addition to his extensive work in music, Snoop Dogg is a serial entrepreneur with endeavors in Web 3.0, tech, entertainment, lifestyle, global consumer brands, food/beverage and cannabis industries.

Snoop Dogg first hit the scene in 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre’s debut solo single, “Deep Cover,” and then on Dre’s debut solo album, “The Chronic.”  He has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. He is a 17-time Grammy nominee, American Music Award and Primetime Emmy Award winner.

Also Read:
Allen Hughes to Direct Marvin Gaye Biopic ‘What’s Going On’ at Warner Bros

Mike Knobloch, NBCUniversal’s president of music and publishing will supervise the project’s music.  Universal’s SVP of Production Development Ryan Jones will oversee the project for the studio.

Universal Pictures had success with musical biopics detailing the backstories of significant rap artists. 2015’s “Straight Outta Compton” traced the roots of the seminal rap group N.W.A. and their rise to fame, becoming one of the most influential acts of the gangsta rap and West Coast hip hop sub-genres. The film grossed more than $200 million and was nominated for an academy award for best original screenplay. In 2002, Universal released “8 Mile,” which starred Eminem and contained autobiographical elements from his life as he attempted to launch a career in hip hop, a music genre dominated by Black artists. The movie made nearly $250 million and “Lose Yourself” won an academy award for best original song.

Also Read:
Universal Pays $400 Million for New ‘Exorcist’ Trilogy Featuring Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn

Cole co-wrote the academy award nominated “Black Panther” with Ryan Coogler, for which they received an NAACP Award. Cole and Coogler also co-wrote the highly anticipated “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” set for release this upcoming weekend. Cole’s critically acclaimed feature directorial debut for Netflix, “All Day and a Night,” starring Ashton Sanders (“Moonlight”) and Jeffrey Wright, was released in 2020. Cole produced the Emmy-winning FX series “American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson,” for which he received an Emmy nomination for writing the episode “The Race Card.” Cole is an executive producer and director on FX’s upcoming limited series “Class of ‘09.”

Award-winning filmmaker Hughes’ major leap into the entertainment industry came with his and twin brother Albert’s jolting debut as the 20-year-old creators/directors of “Menace II Society.” His other films with his brother include “Dead Presidents,” “From Hell,” “The Book of Eli” and the documentary “American Pimp.” Hughes’ most recent project was the critically acclaimed four-part HBO documentary series “The Defiant Ones,” the stories of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre.

Hughes is currently directing and executive producing “Dear Mama,” the first definitive, comprehensive five-part documentary series on the late hip hop icon Tupac Shakur and his mother Afeni Shakur, who was an activist, with the full cooperation of his estate, including access to all of his music and poetry. “Dear Mama” had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2022 as part of the Primetime program.

Snoop Dogg is repped by Stephen Barnes of Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein & Kohner. Cole is represented by Ken Freimann of Circle of Confusion and Geoff Oblath and Darren Trattner at Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Hughes is repped by WME and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.

Also Read:
Judd Apatow Signs Multiyear Film and TV Deal With Universal