“When They See Us” and “This Is Us” actor Asante Blackk is set to star with Tiffany Haddish in MGM and Plan B’s upcoming adaptation of “Landscape With Invisible Hand.”
Based on National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson’s novel of the same name, Blackk will play Haddish’s son in the pic. The movie, described as a “heightened comedy set in a deeply stratified, alien future,” is written and directed by Cory Finley (“Bad Education,” “Thoroughbreds”).
“Landscape With Invisible Hand” follows a teenage aspiring artist (Blackk) who lives in a near-future in which an alien species known as the vuvv has taken over Earth. After the vuvv’s labor-saving technology causes Earth’s job market and global economy to collapse, the teen and his girlfriend cook up a scheme to make much-needed money by broadcasting their dating life to the fascinated aliens. But the two teens come to hate each other and can’t break up without bankrupting their families.
The new project marks one of Blackk’s first major movie roles, after the young star earned Emmy, NAACP and Critics Choice Award nominations for his work in “When They See Us” and booked a regular role on “This Is Us,” for which he earned another Critics Choice nod. Blackk recently starred in the scripted podcast “Here Comes the Break,” which highlights new and exciting hip-hop artists signed to Def Jam Records, while also discussing mental health issues. In 2020, he also helped start the “Speak Up Series” to discuss issues of racial and social injustice with his generation of industry leaders.
Annapurna Pictures is producing the project with Plan B, which inked a production pact with MGM last year.
In addition to “Landscape,” Plan B and MGM have a number of major projects in the works, including Sarah Polley’s feature adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel “Women Talking,” starring and produced by Frances McDormand; an original love story from filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung; a feature film version of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “The Water Dancer,” to be produced by Plan B, Harpo Films and Kamilah Forbes; and the adaptation of Chandler Baker’s novel “The Husbands,” starring and produced by Kristen Wiig.
Blackk is represented by UTA and Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano.
Source: Variety
