Rap superstar Future has signed on to reimagine soul legend Curtis Mayfield's Superfly soundtrack for the 1972 film's upcoming revamp.
Mayfield masterminded the music for the original cult blaxploitation crime drama, which was directed by Gordon Parks, Jr. and starred Ron O'Neal as an African-American cocaine dealer searching for a better life, and filmmaker Director X has recruited Future to take charge of the music for his remake.
The Mask Off hitmaker will also serve as one of the new movie's producers, while fellow rapper 21 Savage is also in talks to take on a role in the film, according to Deadline.
Trevor Jackson will take on O'Neal's character, Priest, in the revamp, while Straight Outta Compton star Jason Mitchell, Lex Scott Davis, and Andrea Londo, among others, have also signed on.
The executive producers include Steven R. Shore, the son of the original film's producer Sig Shore.
Director X insists there has never been a better time to revisit the film: "When I went back and watched the original, I was struck by how relevant the themes are," he said. "The pursuit of the American Dream is eternal - everyone’s always on the hustle, because you’ve got to be... and Superfly is about pulling off the ultimate hustle to get out of the game.
"Our goal is to make it modern - to make a movie where the style, the art direction, the camera movements are all part of what makes the movie Superfly. With this film, my goal is to honour the lineage of an iconic title that the community has loved for decades."
He adds, "I’m also excited to be working with Future, both on the music and as a producer of the film. The original soundtrack is legendary, and that’s an inspiration for the artists that Future is working with to bring a singular modern musical vision to the film."
