Nia Long has joined the cast of Get Lite, Teyana Taylor’s feature directorial debut for Paramount. The casting reunites Long with Storm Reid, who previously co-starred together in 2023’s Missing. The film also stars NFL rookie-turned-actor Ceyair Wright as a talented but sheltered dance student who finds inspiration, love, and family in the subways of New York City, with Reid playing the girl who opens his world to new possibilities.
Production is currently underway in New York City, with Taylor directing from a screenplay by Maurice Williams, based on a 2020 Black List spec script by Eric Gross. Paramount has set the film for a wide theatrical release on August 20, 2027. Reid also produces alongside Kenya Barris and Anni Weisband for Khalabo Ink Society, Robyn Simpson for Reid’s own A Seed & Wings Productions, and Bill Karesh for Offbrnd, while Taylor co-produces with Courtney “Coco” Gilbert under their banner, The Aunties.
The film’s ensemble, which includes Leslie Odom Jr., Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jodie Turner-Smith, Asante Blackk, Woody McClain, Tylil James, and Khayr Bullock, places Taylor’s first directorial outing inside a cast built almost entirely around established and rising Black talent, a notable creative choice for a filmmaker making her feature directing debut rather than easing into the format with a smaller or more conventional ensemble. Long’s casting continues a prolific recent stretch for her across Netflix, Paramount, and legacy franchise work, following her role as Katherine Jackson in Michael, the Lionsgate biopic that became the highest-grossing music biopic of all time.
Long is also attached to the Netflix film Don’t Ever Wonder, reuniting with her Love Jones co-star Lorenz Tate, along with Are We Done Yet? alongside Ice Cube and an upcoming entry in the Friday franchise. Her memoir, chronicling a career spanning Boyz n the Hood, The Best Man franchise, and Soul Food among others, is set for publication in 2027.
With production already underway and a release date set nearly two years out, the next thing to watch is how Taylor’s instincts as a first-time director translate once Get Lite moves from New York City subways to the screen.