Objectively Good Media (OGM) is currently developing Seventy-Two, a biopic that will chronicle a pivotal moment in the life of actor, comedian, and TV host Steve Harvey. The film, which has received Harvey’s full authorization, is still in the early stages of production.
The project is being produced by Mohamed Kheir and Matthew R. Cooper for OGM, along with East 112, the production company led by Steve Harvey and Thabiti Stephens, the Chief Strategy Officer of Steve Harvey Global. The film does not yet have a writer attached.
Seventy-Two will focus on a crucial 72-hour period leading up to Harvey’s career-defining performance at the Apollo Theatre in 1993. This film aims to give audiences an intimate look at the struggles and determination that have shaped Harvey’s career. The storyline will explore how Harvey, at 26, left a stable sales job to pursue comedy, facing numerous challenges along the way. By age 36, he was dealing with self-doubt and personal issues as he prepared for what would become a life-changing performance at the Apollo.
Steve Harvey has expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “I’ve been reluctant to make a movie about my life for years, until I read the pitch for Seventy-Two. It focuses on one of the most difficult moments in my journey and career and shows the world that hope is never truly lost. Wait until you see what we do with this.”
Mohamed Kheir of OGM also shared his enthusiasm, saying, “Securing the rights to tell this story has been an incredible honor. Steve Harvey’s ability to turn his trials into triumphs is inspiring, and Seventy-Two will showcase the resilience and determination that defined those pivotal days. We look forward to sharing this powerful narrative with audiences worldwide.”
Steve Harvey’s career began in the early 1980s as a stand-up comedian, eventually leading him to host Showtime at the Apollo from 1993 to 2000. He gained further fame as the star of The Steve Harvey Show and as part of the “Kings of Comedy Tour,” which Spike Lee immortalized in his 2000 documentary The Original Kings of Comedy. Harvey has since won multiple Daytime Emmys for his talk show Steve Harvey and continues to host Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud. Beyond television, Harvey is also known as an author, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur.
Objectively Good Media, founded in 2023 by Cooper, Uwakokunre (Kokie) Imasogie, Nicholas “Nikko” Lara, and Kheir, is also working on other projects, including Damned If You Do, a dark comedy about teenagers who have sold their souls to the devil. This production, featuring Kate Siegel and Harvey Guillén, marks the directorial debut of Jake Rubin and Evan Metzold. Recently, the company named Anna Dragoo as its new Head of Development.
Steve Harvey is represented by CAA, Steve Harvey Global, and attorney Brandon R. Williams.