Amazon's first original film is centered around a bold, harsh and all-too-real topic—Chicago's growing gang violence. And the tech giant is partnering with Spike Lee to tell the story.
Inner-city gang violence has turned parts of Chicago into a war zone. A total of 82 people were shot—14 of them fatally—just this past Fourth of July holiday weekend over the course of about 84 hours, according to the Chicago Tribune. The death toll reportedly sits at 238 for this year in the city after a body count of 426 in 2014.
Thus the Windy City's other nickname Chi-Raq (Chicago + Iraq). The ongoing epidemic of inner-city violence is why Lee has worked so hard in getting his own Chi-Raq film out to the masses and now...he has the necessary backing he needs via Amazon.
As rumored, Amazon has confirmed that it will be producing the famed director's Chi-Raq as its first original film, even putting it out in theaters, which would give it Oscar consideration. The film will reportedly star names such as Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Hudson, Wesley Snipes and Common to name a few. Hudson and Common are Chicago natives.
"I'm honored to be part of the film that will launch Amazon Studios and to tell a story that is so important," Lee said in a press-release statement. "Please don't be fooled by the title of Chi-Raq, this new Spike Lee joint will be something very special."
Amazon is equally excited to be working with the same reputable director, who called the shots for memorable movies such as Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and Inside Man, for its first original film.
"Spike Lee is one of the most distinct and visionary filmmakers of our time," Ted Hope, Head of Motion Picture Production at Amazon Studios, said in a statement, as reported by Business Wire. "It would be impossible to find a better filmmaker with whom to launch our studio. He has a unique voice, a distinct eye, and he tackles important subjects with humor and heart, pointing to solutions and not exploiting the problems. Chi-Raq may be his greatest, and definitely his boldest film yet-everything about it is distinctive."
Chi-Raq could impact theaters early in 2016, according to reports.
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