Jason Mitchell, who starred as late rapper Eazy-E in “Straight Outta Compton,” has joined the untitled drama about the 1967 Detroit riots directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
The film is currently in production and also features John Boyega, Will Poulter, Jacob Latimore, Algee Smith, Ben O’Toole, Jack Reynor, Kaitlyn Dever and Hannah Murray. It doesn’t have a title yet, but it will cover the five-day riots that swept the Motor City in 1967 and explore issues of systemic racism in the city.
Mark Boal wrote the script. Bigelow is producing the movie alongside Boal, Annapurna’s Megan Ellison and Matthew Budman, and Colin Wilson. Greg Shapiro is the executive producer.
Boal and Bigelow previously worked together on “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Hurt Locker,” which won Best Picture at the 2010 Academy Awards and also brought Bigelow the Best Director Oscar, the first and only time that a woman has won that award.
No studio is attached to the Detroit project yet, but it is planned for a 2017 release — which is the 50th anniversary of the riots.
Mitchell’s next appearance will be in Warner Bros.’ “Kong: Skull Island,” scheduled to hit theaters in March 2017. He is represented by UTA, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, and Ziffren Brittenham LLP.