Will Packer taps Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield to lead romcom ‘The Photograph’

Super-producer Will Packer has tapped Insecure‘s Issa Rae and Atlanta‘s LaKeith Stanfield to lead his romcom The Photograph for Universal Pictures.

Ny Magee

Mar 18, 2019

Super-producer Will Packer has tapped Insecure‘s Issa Rae and Atlanta‘s LaKeith Stanfield to lead his romcom The Photograph for Universal Pictures.

TheWrap reports that the film is based on an original spec by Everything, Everything director Stella Meghie, who will also serve as an executive producer. The plot intertwines love stories in the past and present. Packer will produce the pic with James Lopez for Packer’s eponymous production company.

Meghie previously directed Rae on the season three HBO’s Insecure episode “Fresh Like.” The dynamic duo are set to team up again for Fox’s romantic comedy American Princess, written by Insecure writer Amy Aniobi.

Meanwhile, Emmy-nominated Issa Rae is also producing the musical romance Love in America for Universal, also written by Aniobi.

Stanfield, who earned critical acclaim for 2018’s Sorry to Bother You will next star in Netflix’s upcoming romantic comedy Someone Great as well as Lionsgate’s upcoming murder mystery Knives Out.

It was previously announced that Stanfield and his Get Out co-star Daniel Kaluuya will play the leads in Warner Bros.’ Jesus Was My Homeboy, which centers on the rise and death of Black Panther Fred Hampton.

Packer has produced nearly 30 films that have grossed over $1 billion worldwide at the box office. He recently worked with Investigation Discovery for a three-part documentary miniseries about the Atlanta child murders.

“This case remains one of our countries’ most perplexing mysteries, and at ID we are proud to shine a light on every angle of this largely forgotten story,” said ID’s Henry Schleiff, Deadline reported. “Will Packer’s vision to revisit this national tragedy through the never-before heard perspective of the victims’ families which brings home the true devastation of these cases.”

“Having lived in Atlanta for over 20 years, the story of this senseless tragedy is personally important to me, and the echoes of what happened 40 years ago still resonate in the city,” added Packer. “I am proud to give a voice to the victims’ families, many of whom still seek closure to this day, and analyze how this story is more relevant than ever in today’s environment.”