In a competitive situation, Skydance Television has acquired the rights to P. Djéli Clark’s fantasy historical novella “Ring Shout” with plans to develop it as a television series.
KiKi Layne is attached to star in the project, with Kasi Lemmons attached to write, direct, and serve as showrunner. Both Lemmons and Layne will executive produce along with Clark, Marc Evans, Matt Jackson, and Skydance Television’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost. The book was originally published by Tor Books in October.
“Ring Shout” tells the story of an otherworldly evil that has risen in the 1920s South in the form of monsters who take up residence within the bodies of people filled with hate – namely the Ku Klux Klan. D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” is helping to swell the Klan’s ranks and the monsters are drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of racism. Across the nation they spread fear and violence. But even monsters can die. Standing in their way is a young Black woman, Maryse Boudreaux (Layne), and her two friends and fellow resistance fighters – a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan’s demons straight to Hell. But something even bigger is brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up. And Maryse, haunted by events of her past, is the only one who can put a stop to it all.
Layne recently starred in the hit Netflix action film “The Old Guard,” which was produced by Skydance. She also appeared in the films “If Beale Street Could Talk” and 2019’s “Native Son.” She is next set to appear in the upcoming sequel “Coming 2 America,” which will debut on Amazon in March.
Layne is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and Sloane Offer.
Lemmons’ past directing credits include the 2019 Harriet Tubman biopic “Harriet.” She is also known for her 1997 debut feature “Eve’s Bayou” as well as films like “The Caveman’s Valentine” and “Talk to Me.” On the TV side, she has directed episodes of “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker,” “Luke Cage” and “Shots Fired” previously.
She is repped by Gersh.
Source: Variety
