Pharrell Williams and Michael Mayer are teaming up for a musical at 20th Century Fox inspired by the singer-songwriter’s childhood in Virginia Beach, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The musical, titled “Atlantis,” will be produced by Williams and Mimi Valdes via their I Am Other banner; Gil Netter is producing with Netter films.
Mayer is known for his work on Broadway’s “Spring Awakening” for which he won a Tony Award, as well as “American Idiot.” Martin Hynes, who is currently working on the script for “Toy Story 4,” is attached to write “Atlantis.”
Williams was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1973. His singing, songwriting, rapping and producing career has won him 10 Grammy Awards. He has produced many soul, hip-hop and R&B songs for Chad Hugo under the name The Neptunes and performed as the lead vocalist in the band N*E*R*D. He has also released solo albums “In My Mind” (2006) and “Girl” (2014), and his most famous songs include “Happy” and “Get Lucky.”
Williams was also a producer on Fox’s “Hidden Figures,” which was nominated for three Oscars including Best Picture. He wrote several songs for the film that starred Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and Janelle Monae. He also produced Sundance Film Festival debut “Roxanne Roxanne.”
He is represented by WME and 42West.