Ryan Coogler is currently working on a Prince-focused feature musical, as confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter. The filmmaker is set to produce an untitled jukebox musical featuring Prince songs for Universal Pictures. This project, which has been in development since 2018, is being spearheaded by Proximity Media with a script by Bryan Edward Hill. The production team includes Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Troy Carter from Atom Factory, and Jody Gerson, chair of Universal Music Publishing Group, with Rebecca Cho from Proximity serving as an executive producer.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Coogler's upcoming Warner Bros. feature starring Michael B. Jordan is scheduled for release on March 7, 2025. Coogler and Jordan have a longstanding professional relationship, with Coogler having directed Jordan in films like Fruitvale Station (2013), Creed (2015), and Black Panther (2018). Coogler also directed the 2022 Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and contributed to the lyrics of Rihanna's song 'Lift Me Up' from the film's soundtrack, earning him nominations for the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Grammys.
Prince, a music legend known for hits such as 'When Doves Cry,' 'Let's Go Crazy,' 'Kiss,' and 'Batdance,' all of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, is the focus of this musical project. His film credits include starring in the 1984 rock musical Purple Rain, directed by Albert Magnoli, which won the Oscar for best original song score. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Warner Bros. cult classic Purple Rain.
The news of Coogler's involvement in the Prince project was initially reported by the newsletter The InSneider.
