Trever Noah set to produce movie about formerly homeless, 8 year-old immigrant chess prodigy
The brilliant Nigerian child won the NY State Chess Championship while living in a homeless shelter with his family as they sought religious asylum
Trevor Noah is set to produce a movie about an 8 year-old Nigerian chess prodigy who won the NY State Chess Championship while living in a homeless shelter with his family
An 8-year-old, Nigerian boy is getting a motion picture to be based off of his life.
Paramount Pictures has green lit a film based on 8-year-old Tani Adewumi and his family. The film is currently untitled but will center around the Adewumi family’s life while living in a homeless center on religious asylum. Despite the disparities they faced, Tani was still able to win the 2019 New York chess championship, after playing the game for only two years.
The drama will be based on three books the family plans to publish at the HarperCollins imprint W Publishing, according to Deadline.
The movie’s producers include Day Zero Productions’ Trever Noah along with Haroom Saleem, State Street Pictures’ George Tillman Jr. and Bob Teitel, and Mainstay Entertainment’s Norman Aladjem.
The untitled film will depict the story of a Nigerian family that was able to escape terrorism in Nigeria and was able to receive asylum in America and planting new roots in New York.
Deadline describes the story as one of love, peace, community, and faith. It will also show the determination parents have when it comes to their family’s safety and a better opportunity at life. Tani’s viral story became an inspiration to others which sparked the book and movie deal. The three books are set to publish in Spring 2020.
READ MORE: Trevor Noah slams Kanye West for being a hypocrite: You S**tting Me?
Tani’s story wasn’t Noah’s first time in the news last week. On Wednesday night, Noah told his audience on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, he doesn’t agree with Kanye West‘s recent controversial comment that Black voters, that vote for the Democratic party are brainwashed. He also pointed out this theory is direct disrespect to Black women.
“You know who doesn’t mess around with their votes in America? Black women. They don’t. They do not. And I refuse to live in a world where I go, ‘Black women have been brainwashed.’ No, I don’t think Black women in America have been—or can be—brainwashed. I think, if anything, Black women in America have the least leeway when it comes to messing around with their vote.”
