Queen Latifah is set to bring her life story to the big screen with a new biopic, launching a series of films about hip-hop icons. Latifah, a Grammy and Emmy winner, along with her Flavor Unit Entertainment partner Shakim Compere, will collaborate with Westbrook Studios and Jesse Collins Entertainment to produce the project. “We all came into this industry together, and Hip Hop has shaped each and every one of us,” Latifah and Compere said in a statement. “It is a dream to collaborate with friends and colleagues…to tell these stories that were the backdrop of our lives.”
Latifah has hinted at this biopic for some time. In her 2022 Variety Power of Women cover story, she revealed plans for a film about her life, saying, “I actually have some things I’m cooking up…There’s so many stories to tell.”
Will Smith and Miguel Melendez will produce for Westbrook Studios, alongside Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon for Jesse Collins Entertainment. Charlie Mack will also be part of the production team. Smith expressed excitement about the collaboration: “I’m thrilled to work alongside Flavor Unit, Jesse Collins Entertainment, and HarbourView, to highlight the incredible stories of some of our favorite artists…There’s no better story to start with than Queen Latifah.”
Jesse Collins added, “Queen Latifah’s story is one of triumph that needs to be shared with the world.”
The project, independently financed by HarbourView Equity Partners, will mark the beginning of a slate of biopics about iconic artists. Sherrese Clarke Soares, HarbourView’s founder and CEO, said, “It is an honor to partner…to document Queen Latifah’s journey and her undeniable impact on the world.” Additional projects are expected to be announced soon.