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Regina King to Direct ‘Bitter Root,’ Adaptation of Harlem Renaissance-Set Comic Book

Rebecca Rubin
·2-min read

Regina King has been tapped to direct “Bitter Root,” a film adaptation of the Harlem Renaissance-set comic book series.

Along with directing, King will produce the movie for Legendary Pictures. Additional producers include “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian of Proximity Media.

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The comic book creators, David F. Walker, Sanford Green and Chuck Brown, will executive produce the film adaptation with Drapetomedia’s Sean Owolo.

Set during the vibrant Harlem Renaissance of 1924, “Bitter Root” follows a fractured family of once-great monster hunters who face an unimaginable evil that descends upon New York City. For generations, the Sangeryes have hunted and cured those infected by a supernatural force that feeds off the prejudice of the era, transforming humans into monsters. With most of the kin dead, the surviving Sangeryes have the unenviable choice to save or kill the creatures in hopes of thwarting an invasion.

Bryan Edward Hill, who has been enlisted to pen the upcoming “Power Rangers” for eOne and Hasbro, is currently rewriting a draft of the screenplay.

King’s hiring comes shortly after she directed her first feature film, “One Night in Miami, to critical acclaim last year. The movie, a fictionalized account of a meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke, received numerous accolades, including three Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe nod for King’s directing efforts. A decorated actor, King’s recent screen credits include “If Beale Street Could Talk” and the HBO series “Watchman.”

King is represented by ICM Partners, John Carrabino, and Gang, Tyre, Brown & Passman, Inc. Hill is represented by Verve, Heroes and Villains Entertainment, and Jackoway Austen.

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