Latest in Native Son

HBO Films has slotted April 6 as the debut date for Native Son, the Rashid Johnson-directed drama that the premium cabler made a splashy deal for last month at Sundance where the film had its world premiere. This announcement, which was made by HBO Films president Len Amato, also included a first-look teaser. See the…

Soon after being picked up by HBO Films in an eight-figure deal, A24’s Native Son cast and creatives stopped by Deadline’s Sundance studio following the Park City-based fest premiere of the film. Based on the 1940 novel by Richard Wright, the film centers on Big (played by Moonlight breakout Ashton Sanders) who…

Ahead of its premiere tonight at Sundance, the Rashid Johnson-directed Native Son has sold to HBO in the first splashy deal of the festival. It will premiere on the payweb later this year. Sources are saying this deal falls in the 8-figure range. Based on the seminal novel by Richard Wright and with a screenplay by…

EXCLUSIVE: WME has signed KiKi Layne, the newbie star of Barry Jenkins’ upcoming If Beale Street Could Talk. WME will represent Layne in all areas. In addition to starring in November’s Beale Street, Layne’s slate is filled with high profile projects. Layne will star in A24’s Native Son directed by Rashid Johnson. She…

EXCLUSIVE: Lamar Johnson and Jerod Haynes have joined the cast of Native Son, A24’s adaptation of the Richard Wright novel. The duo joins Ashton Sanders, Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, Bill Camp and Sanaa Lathan who already have been cast. Suzan-Lori Parks adapted the script and Rashid Johnson is directing the pic…

EXCLUSIVE: Sanaa Lathan has joined the cast of Native Son, the big-screen adaptation of Richard Wright’s iconic book in the works at A24, which made a worldwide rights deal last month for the project. Ashton Sanders, Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson and Bill Camp are already aboard the pic, which has a screenplay…

EXCLUSIVE: A24 has acquired worldwide rights to Native Son, an adaptation of the Richard Wright novel. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks has written the script and celebrated conceptual artist Rashid Johnson will direct the film, which will take place in the present day in Johnson’s hometown of…