Behind The Scenes: Spike Lee To Direct Hip Hop Take On ‘Romeo & Juliet’

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Spike Lee will be adapting a DC Comics/Vertigo graphic novel called Prince of Cats into a movie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the comic, which was written and illustrated by Ron Wimberly, is described as an “80s-set hip-hop take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, with the tragic star-crossed love story seen through the eyes of Tybalt, Juliet’s angry and duel-loving cousin.”

The description continues:

“The film centers on Tybalt and his Capulet brothers, who navigate Da People’s Republic of Brooklyn, where underground sword dueling — including katanas — with the rival Montagues blossoms into a vibrant world. That world includes hip-hop essentials such as DJing, emceeing, breakdancing and graffiti.”

Lee will rewrite the script and partner with Wimberly and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds for the story.

Hinds wrote the initial screenplay for the adaptation of the graphic novel. His knowledge of the hip hop world stems from his tenure as the editor-in-chief of The Source magazine. Hinds also doubles as a comic writer, having penned an episode of Jordan Peele‘s update of The Twilight Zone.

Lakeith Stanfield was original slated to star in the Prince of Cats movie, however he’s no longer attached.

Meanwhile, Lee is still building off the success of his movie BlacKkKlansman, which garnered him Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Director. He won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film. Currently, Lee is in postproduction on Da 5 Bloods, a thriller which includes Chadwick Boseman, Paul Walter Hauser and Jonathan Majors in its ensemble.

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