The Bear’s Corey Hendrix and The Chi’s Ahmad Ferguson are the latest names to board Moses The Black, a gritty gangland drama executive produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit Film and Television. They join Omar Epps, Wiz Khalifa, Quavo, and Chukwudi Iwuji in the modern-day Chicago crime story.
The film, written and directed by Yelena Popovic (Man of God), is inspired by the repentance story of the fifth-century saint of the same name. Omar Epps stars as Malik, a formidable Chicago gang leader at the heart of the story. Wiz Khalifa plays 2wo-3ree, the volatile head of Malik’s young crew—marking the rapper’s second film role and first time as a lead. Quavo takes on the role of Straw, Malik’s nemesis, while Iwuji embodies the film’s namesake, St. Moses the Black.
Produced by Alexandros Potter and Popovic under the Simeon Faith banner, the project also has Khalifa’s Taylor Gang Films and Epps’ BrooklynWorks Films attached as executive producers alongside G-Unit Film and Television. Simeon Faith is financing the project in collaboration with the Nick Mirkopoulos Cinematic Fund, backed by the Pissios family of Chicago and the Mirkopoulos family of Toronto, the former owners of Cinespace Film Studios. Additional executive producers include investment banker John Kynigopoulos.
With filming set to begin next week, Moses The Black is shaping up to be an intense exploration of crime, power, and redemption, set against the backdrop of Chicago’s underworld.