(from EURweb.com)

Former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson is trying to bring his life story to the big screen and says he wants Jamie Foxx to step into the title role.

“Jamie Foxx and I will be working together,” Tyson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “He will play me in the film about my life. We already talked about it several times.”

Iron Mike, who first captured the heavyweight belt in 1986 at age 20, says his life story is a warning to kids to avoid the drugs, money and legal pitfalls that left potholes in his brilliant boxing career.

“I’ve seen the devil, and I don’t want that,” said Tyson, 41.

(from EURweb.com)

As the presidential campaign trail trudges on, “Entertainment Tonight” pulled Democratic candidate Barack Obama to the side and asked him to list his favorite films and movie stars.

His top three films are all Oscar winners — “The Godfather,” “The Godfather: Part II” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” Angela Bassett was named among his favorite actors, along with Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, Meryl Streep and Susan Sarandon.

Obama has already mentioned that Will Smith would be the perfect actor to play him if a movie is ever made about his life. “Will and I have talked about this because he has the ears,” the Illinois senator said in an interview.

For the full article, click here.

I decided to celebrate Black History Month (February here in the US, although it’s October in the UK) by tracking down some movies about race in America that seem to have disappeared from circulation. Although you can always find copies of nakedly racist or revisionist movies such as Birth of a Nation and Gone With the Wind, some others are deemed so embarrassing or offensive that the people who own the rights seem ashamed to rerelease them.

Click here for full article.

(Source: Variety)

Davis Entertainment’s urban genre label, DJ Classicz, is developing the urban horror project “Shady Talez” for Paramount Pictures.

John Davis and Dallas Jackson are producing. Chris Lighty and Mona Scott of Violator, a Gotham-based record label and management company, will exec produce.

Project features three stories penned by Jackson and Marlon Chapman that pay hip-hop homage to classic horror films.

“We intend to marry each of the stories with a hot director from the musicvideo and/or film world along with Violator’s hip-hop talent roster,” Jackson said.

DJ Classicz was formed a year ago by Fox-based producer Davis (“I, Robot,” “Norbit”) and scribe-producer Jackson, who is also exec producing “Halls of Fame” with Ludacris for Nickelodeon’s teen network the N.

Violator’s Lighty last teamed with Paramount when he produced the studio’s 50 Cent vehicle “Get Rich or Die Tryin’.”

(from Hollywood Reporter)

“The Great Debaters” took center stage Thursday night, winning the award for outstanding motion picture at the 39th annual NAACP Image Awards.

Denzel Washington, who starred in and directed the film about a college debate team, was named best actor, while the film’s Jurnee Smollett was named best actress. The movie’s Denzel Whitaker took home the statue for outstanding supporting actor.

Tyler Perry also proved a big winner. His film “Why Did I Get Married?” garnered Janet Jackson the award for outstanding supporting actress, while the TBS series “House of Payne” won outstanding comedy series. “Payne’s” LaVan Davis was honored as outstanding actor in a comedy series, while Lance Gross was crowned outstanding supporting actor for his portrayal of the spoiled son of Curtis and Ella Payne.

For full article and list of winners, click here.