Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage(LOS ANGELES) — Will Smith and Queen Latifah are heading back to their musical roots with their latest project.
Netflix has announced that Smith and Latifah are teaming up to produce a contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet, in the form of a hip-hop musical.
The new iteration is said to follow a young Brooklyn waitress and an aspiring musician from a wealthy family, whose “unconventional romance forces them to confront their life choices.”
The feature film will be written and directed by Solvan “Slick” Naim, an Algerian-American writer, rapper and actor from Brooklyn. Naim has directed episodes of shows like Netflix’s The Get Down and the John Singleton FX drama, Snowfall.
Latifah will produce through Flavor Unit Entertainment, and Smith through his Overbrook Entertainment.
This is the latest project for Latifah, who earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2002’s Chicago and recently appeared in Lee Daniels’ musical drama Star. Meanwhile, Smith will next be seen in Disney’s Aladdin, which hits theaters on May 24.
Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.