Byron Allen and Ava DuVernay are developing a feature film that reframes one of the most contested chapters in American history through the lens of Coretta Scott King.
The project, titled “King vs. The United States of America,” is in development at Allen Media Group Motion Pictures and will explore Coretta Scott King’s decades-long pursuit of the truth behind the 1968 assassination of her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The film arrives on the 20th anniversary of her passing and shifts the focus away from a singular moment of tragedy to the sustained fight that followed.
Dr. King was shot and killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis in April 1968. The crime was officially attributed to James Earl Ray, a known segregationist who confessed before later recanting. That explanation never satisfied Coretta Scott King or much of the King family. What followed was not quiet acceptance, but years of investigation, advocacy, and legal action driven by a refusal to accept a simplified account of history.
That pursuit intersected with a growing body of evidence that complicated the official narrative. In the mid-1970s, a U.S. Senate committee revealed that J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI had engaged in illegal surveillance, wiretapping, and harassment of Dr. King. Decades later, a 1999 civil trial concluded with a jury verdict finding that a broader conspiracy existed, involving government agencies and others, rather than a lone gunman acting in isolation.
Allen, CEO of Allen Media Group Motion Pictures, has described the project as deeply personal, pointing to his long-standing interest in the King family’s legacy and his commitment to bringing lesser-known truths into the public record. DuVernay, whose film “Selma” remains one of the most defining cinematic portrayals of Dr. King, has said she is honored to explore this chapter of the family’s story.
The film also brings Coretta Scott King to the foreground as a leader in her own right. Long after her husband’s death, she emerged as a powerful voice for justice, equality, feminism, and LGBTQ rights. She founded the King Center, became an international advocate against South Africa’s apartheid regime, and helped shape the moral framework of modern civil rights activism in the United States. Her search for the truth surrounding the assassination was inseparable from that broader leadership.
In addition to Allen, Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, Chris Charalambous, and Matthew Signer will co-produce the feature.
The project’s development coincides with renewed attention to civil rights, protest, and press freedom. On Friday, during a day marked by National Shutdown demonstrations and racially charged arrests of journalists by the Department of Justice, Bernice King publicly reflected on her mother’s legacy.
For Allen, the film adds to a rapidly evolving media portfolio. After building one of the nation’s largest independent groups of ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox affiliates, last year Allen Media Group sold television stations in 10 markets to Atlanta-based Grey Media in a deal estimated to exceed $170 million.
DuVernay continues to expand her slate as well. Following her acclaimed 2023 film “Origin,” she has discussed the possibility of a television series centered on former Los Angeles Mayor and California gubernatorial contender Tom Bradley. She has also reunited with David Oyelowo, who portrayed Dr. King in “Selma,” for the upcoming thriller “Heist of Benin,” which was announced last month at the Studiocanal Paris showcase.
By centering Coretta Scott King’s relentless search for truth, “King Vs. The United States of America” asks audiences to reconsider not only how history is told but also who bears the burden of truth.
