The film will be inspired by the real-life story of Wyclef’s childhood in Haiti
Netflix are working on a CG animated feature film with Wyclef Jean that reimagines the Fugees co-founder’s life.
Set to be written by Justin Marks (The Jungle Book, Counterpart), the yet-to-be-titled film will see Stampede, the recently launched entertainment media company from Greg Silverman, partner with Wyclef to produce it.
“I grew up in extreme poverty but I was rich with imagination,” commented Wyclef. “Now to see that imagination turn into reality with Netflix and my producing partners makes me want to tell the kids from the slums around the world to never stop dreaming.”
Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids and Family at Netflix, explained why she took the project on.
“When Wyclef first came to us with the rich story idea for an animated film about his personal journey and the evolution of his music from when he was a young boy in Haiti to finding his voice in New York City – we were hooked,” she began.
“Animation is a medium that travels the globe exceptionally well and we cannot wait to share Wyclef’s unique perspective and voice with family audiences around the world.”
Justin Marks wrote the Disney live action hit film The Jungle Book, which was directed by Jon Favreau and earned nearly $1 billion at the worldwide box office. He most recently penned the Tom Cruise starring sequel Top Gun: Maverick that is currently in production for Paramount Pictures.
“When I was seventeen years old, two things had a huge impact on my life: the music of Wyclef Jean and the spirit of his home country, Haiti,” explained Justin.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have visited Haiti and worked alongside its people several times over the years, and I’ve long wanted to tell a story about its vibrant and resilient culture. If you’d have told teenage me that one day I’d get to work with Wyclef on a movie like this, I’d have never believed you. This movie is an honour and a thrill, and I’m grateful to Greg, Stampede, and Netflix for making it a reality.”
Greg Silverman and Wyclef will serve as producers for the film. Madeline Nelson and Nick Lewin will co-produce and Lisa Zambri and Cara Fano will oversee the project for Stampede.
