Jay-Z is set to produce an adaption of Dwayne Alexander Smith’s novel Forty Acres as a new project for Netflix.
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Forty Acres follows a civil rights lawyer who uncovers a vast conspiracy in a story which tackles issues of race and power. The book was originally published in 2014 and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author.
Smith will be joining as an executive producer along with Mike Epps and others. Luke Cage creator Cheo Hodari Coker will also be working on the project.
The film has been described as a cross between Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Tom Cruise’s 1993 film The Firm.
Jay-Z has previously worked with Netflix on its upcoming film The Harder They Fall, for which he also served as a producer. The film is a Western starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, and Lakeith Stanfield. James Lassiter, who also produced The Harder They Fall, is joining Jay on Forty Acres as well.
Earlier this week, Jay-Z tied Quincy Jones for the artist with the most GRAMMY nominations in history. Both artists have been nominated 80 times. Beyoncé is just one nomination behind her husband and Jones with 79 total nominations.
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