News of May 9, 2017
Steve McQueen to Direct Authorized Tupac Documentary
An Oscar winner for Tupac: Steve McQueen is set to direct an authorized documentary for the estate and Amaru Entertainment.
On May 9, 2017, Tom Whalley, trustee of the estate, and Amaru Entertainment announced a second major film project alongside the biopic: Oscar winner Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) is set to direct a fully authorized documentary about Tupac. Amaru is the company founded by Afeni Shakur that releases Tupac’s posthumous projects.
McQueen Wants to Tell the “Unvarnished Story”
Nigel Sinclair’s White Horse Pictures and Jayson Jackson are producing the film, with Tupac’s aunt Gloria Cox serving as executive producer according to The Guardian. McQueen said he attended NYU Film School in 1993 and had brushed up against that era’s hip-hop world through a mutual acquaintance. Together with the family, he wants to tell the “unvarnished story.”
The documentary stands on its own. It is a distinct project alongside the feature film All Eyez on Me, produced by Morgan Creek (see theatrical release and reviews).