Martin Luther King Biopic to Be Produced by Steven Spielberg

We all know who Martin Luther King Jr. is. The man was ultimate civil rights leader with hopes of peace and unity for a future generation. He was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39. Well, DreamWorks has picked up the rights to make a movie based on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., and Steven Spielberg will serve as a producer on the film project.

I am surprised it has taken so long to get movie made about this great mans life. This is the first film project that has been given the green light by King's estate. They will give the producers of the film the right to utilize King's intellectual property including his most famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. They are allowing this so that this film will be the definitive portrait of his life.

This movie has been a long time dream for Steven Spielberg. He and DreamWorks CEO Stacey Snyder has been working on getting the rights to this movie for a very long time. Spielberg had this to say:

"We are all honored that the King Estate is giving us the opportunity to tell the story of these defining, historic events. It is our hope that the creative power of film and the impact of Dr. King's life can combine to present a story of undeniable power that we can all be proud of."

Snyder adds...

"In trying to tackle such an ambitious project, the question we had to ask ourselves is, 'Why now? The answer lies in MLK's own words: 'All progress is precarious.' With every step forward, new obstacles emerge and we must never forget that his life and his teachings continue to challenge us every day to stand up to hatred and inequality."

I am sure they will create the best portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. possible for this biopic. What are your thoughts?

Source: Variety