“Creed 3” star Jonathan Majors is set to star in and produce “Da Understudy” from Westbrook Studios, now in development at Amazon Studios.
Spike Lee is in early talks to direct, according to an insider with knowledge of the project.
Majors will produce the feature under his Tall Street Productions umbrella. Amazon Studios landed the script on spec in a competitive situation.
Tom Hanada (“Motherland,” “Under the Bridge”), Zach Strauss (“SMILF”) and Tyler Cole wrote the screenplay, which is based on an original story by Cole that was developed in-house by Westbrook.
“Da Understudy” tells the story of life imitating art when the understudy of a Broadway production finds a role he’s willing to kill for.
The news comes on the heels of the massive, record-breaking weekend for “Creed 3,” which became the biggest opening for a sports film in history and the biggest opening weekend ever for any of the films in the legendary “Rocky” and “Creed” franchise.
In addition to Majors, Westbrook Studios co-president and head of motion pictures Jon Mone, Mike Soccio and Will Smith are attached to produce the film, with Lee and Cole serving as executive producers. Ryan Shimazaki will oversee the project on behalf of Westbrook Studios.
Just three months in, and 2023 has proved to be Majors’ year with the actor coming off back-to-back No. 1 box office features with his starring role as Adonis Creed’s ring nemesis, Damian Anderson, in MGM’s “Creed 3,” which debuted to rave reviews and earned $58.465 million and $100.4 million at the domestic and global box offices, respectively.
Majors can also currently be seen on the big screen making his debut as MCU’s Big Bad – Kang The Conqueror – in Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania.” Earlier this year, Majors took the 2023 Sundance Film Festival by storm with his tour de force performance in “Magazine Dreams,” in which he stars and serves as an executive producer via Tall Street Productions.
In 2022, Majors starred as U.S. Navy fighter pilot Jesse Brown in Black Label Media’s war epic “Devotion.” The actor received rave reviews following the film’s world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival and received an NAACP Image Award nomination for his performance. In the pipeline, he will next head into production on “The Man in My Basement,” the film adaptation of the Walter Mosley novel. Majors will star as Charles Blakely and executive produce via Tall Street Productions. Majors is also set to star as Dennis Rodman in Lionsgate’s “48 Hours in Vegas” and will serve as a producer on the project under his Tall Street Productions umbrella.
Upcoming Westbrook Studios film projects include “Bad Boys 4,” the latest in the global blockbuster franchise; the next chapter of “I am Legend” from screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, starring Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan; action-comedy “Regulators” starring Nicky Jam; “Redd Zone” starring Jada Pinkett Smith; hip-hop musical feature “Summertime” based on Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s hit song, “Clean Air;” a joint project from Westbrook, NASCAR and The Chainsmokers; and the live-action musical fantasy film “The Soul Superhero.”
Majors is repped by WME, Entertainment 360, Jackoway Austen and The Lede Company. Hanada is represented by Paradigm, Navigation and Hirsch Wallerstein.
Deadline first reported the news.