Issa Rae and Jordan Peele are teaming to develop “Sinkhole” with Universal Pictures, a thought provoking parable on gender identity based on a short story in which Rae could potentially star.
Universal, Monkeypaw Productions and Issa Rae Productions are developing the film based on a short story by Leyna Krow after Universal and Monkeypaw won the rights to the short story in a competitive situation. The project falls under Monkeypaw’s exclusive five-year deal with Universal.
The short story is about a young family who moves into their dream home, except for the gaping sinkhole in the backyard, a sinkhole that manages to take all things that are broken and destroyed and make them perfect again. But what if that thing is a person? “Sinkhole” is genre piece that engages on the question of female perfection and identity.
Peele and Win Rosenfeld will produce for Monkeypaw, as will Rae, Montrel McKay and Sara Rastogi for Issa Rae Productions. Krow is executive producing alongside Alex Davis-Lawrence. Davis-Lawrence is producing on behalf of the literary journal Moss where the story was originally published.
Universal’s senior vice president of production Sara Scott will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.
Rae is riding high off an Emmy nomination for “Insecure” on Tuesday for a Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, and she most recently starred in and executive produced the comedy “The Lovebirds.” Peele’s “Candyman,” which he wrote and produced, will also be released by Universal on October 16.
Krow is represented by Alexandra Kordas at 42. Rae is represented by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment and John Meigs. Peele and Monkeypaw are represented by CAA and Morris Yorn.
Deadline first reported the news of the project.