Laurence Fishburne to Star in Participant’s Prison Drama ‘Frank & Louis’

Clifton Collins Jr. will also star, with Tyler Perry producing

Laurence Fishburne
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Participant Pictures announced on Tuesday that Laurence Fishburne and Clifton Collins Jr. will star in the studio’s upcoming film “Frank & Louis,” which will be co-produced by Tyler Perry’s Peachtree & Vine Productions and Zodiac Pictures.

Directed by Petra Volpe from a screenplay she co-wrote with Esther Bernstorff, “Frank & Louis” follows a man serving a life sentence who takes a job caring for fellow prisoners who are aging and suffering from memory loss diseases. What starts as a self-serving mission for parole turns into an emotional and transformative relationship, offering a glimmer of redemption in an otherwise unforgiving place.

“To work with Laurence Fishburne and Clifton Collins, Jr. on this intimate and emotional story is an absolute dream come true,” said Volpe in a statement. “I feel a deep gratitude towards the incarcerated men I met while researching this project, and I can’t wait to bring this touching and timely story to audiences. Hopefully this film will contribute to an important conversation about aging, mental health and the prison system.”

“It is amazing to see this project grow. Tyler Perry joining this incredible team, combining with Petra, Clifton and Laurence, brings such a uniquely creative dynamic to a powerful story that showcases how shared compassion makes for a unifying, exhilarating experience,” Participant CEO David Linde said.

Participant will produce alongside Reto Schaerli and Lukas Hobi of Zodiac Pictures, and Tyler Perry and Tim Palen of Peachtree & Vine Productions. Cora Olson is Co-Producer; Executive Producers are Jeff Skoll and Anikah McLaren of Participant, with McLaren overseeing production with Elizabeth Haggard and Connor DeSha.

“I have long been a fan of Participant, and the company’s commitment to storytelling that inspires social change,” Perry said. “As an advocate for prison reform, the story of ‘Frank & Louis’ and its powerful themes resonated with me, and I’m excited to be part of the creative team bringing this story to life.”

Best known for his work in the “Matrix” series, Fishburne is set to star again with “Matrix” and “John Wick” partner Keanu Reeves in “John Wick: Chapter 4” next year. Collins Jr., whose credits include “Westworld” and J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek,” will next appear in MGM/Annapurna’s “Landscape With Invisible Hand” alongside William Jackson Harper, Michael Gandolfini and Tiffany Haddish.

Fishburne is represented by CAA, Landmark Artist Management and Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang. Collins Jr. is represented by CAA, MGMT. Entertainment and Yorn, Levine, Barnes, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman, Volpe is represented by WME and MGMT. Entertainment. Bernstorff is represented by Verlag der Autoren.



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