John Boyega to Produce South African Crime-Thriller

John Boyega is set to executive produce God Is Good, a South African crime-thriller, according to Deadline. Producers are describing the film as in the vein of Prisoners and City Of God. Boyega is also launching a record label, UpperRoom Records, to oversee the film's soundtrack.

Set in Cape Town's Cape Flats, the English-language film will follow a reformed gangster-turned-pastor and a volatile detective who cross paths after an act of brutal violence sets them on COLLISION COURSE with a heinous gang lieutenant. Casting discussions are under way with shoot planned for spring of this year.

God Is Good is being produced by Bandit Country, which is led by former Sony International producer Josephine Rose.

Willem Grobler wrote and will direct the film, his first feature film. Grobler co-wrote Spoorloos, a thirteen episode crime-drama for South Africa's kykNet broadcaster, and is co-writing an upcoming crime-thriller for the South African Broadcasting Commission.

UpperRoom Records will oversee the soundtrack in conjunction with Rose. African artists will be featured on the soundtrack, including emerging South African rapper YoungstaCPT. The UpperRoom Records team will include Vice President of Production, Yara Shaikh, and Stefan Wade, Head of A&R.

Boyega, who is best known for starring in Star Wars and Pacific Rim, spoke about the news, "I'm thrilled to be teaming once again with Josephine Rose on such a powerful and important story that explores themes of fathers and fatherhood, toxic masculinity, race and faith in a community that has become trapped in an unending cycle of violence and racial oppression, and where sometimes it seems for men that violence is the only way of achieving power."

He continued to say, "Willem has written a superb screenplay and we are looking forward to working with him to realise the vision behind it. Josephine, Yara, Stefan and I also all share a passion for music and this film enables us to work with local talent in South AFRICA to find those voices and help put them on the international stage by also bringing on internationally renowned Afro beats artists. The team will work with artists across the continent of AFRICA to create a soundtrack that represents and gives voice to the incredible range of music talent and sound that the continent produces."

Read the original article on Deadline.

Photo Credit: Ana Maria Wiggins for BroadwayWorld and Pamela Raith

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