Los Angeles March 16 (IANS) "Moonlight" star Ashton Sanders is in final negotiations to take on the lead role of Bigger Thomas in a movie version of Richard Wrights novel "Native Son".
Nick Robinson the lead actor in gay teen romance-drama "Love Simon" is also in talks to join the cast along with Margaret Qualley Kiki Layne and Bill Camp reports variety.com.
Entertainment company A24 which released "Moonlight " announced on Thursday that it has acquired worldwide rights to "Native Son" with a new adaptation written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks.
Conceptual artiste Rashid Johnson will make his feature directing debut.
"A24 is active with some of the best filmmakers and films today. We re excited to have a partner that shares our enthusiasm for this amazing and deeply complicated material. We look forward to working with them to bring Richard Wright s powerful story to life " said Johnson.
The movie is set in present day Chicago Johnson s hometown. In the 1940 novel Bigger Thomas is a 20-year-old African American living in poverty in Chicago s South Side in the 1930s.
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