Get On Up

Get On Up is a musical biopic directed by Tate Taylor (The Help). Chadwick Boseman (42) stars as the “hardest working man in show business”, funk and soul icon James Brown. The film is based on Brown’s real life story and chronicles his rise from a troubled upbringing to being one of the most influential musician’s of his time. The film is produced by Oscar winner Brian Glazer and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who was approached by Brown’s estate to get the film made. Starring alongside Boseman are Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis, Craig Robinson, and Octavia Spencer.

The road that the film took to get made was a long one, and it only got rockier when Brown passed away on December 25, 2006. At the time, Grazer had a film deal in place and was working on scripts, but with the singer’s passing, the film’s rights reverted to James Brown’s estate, halting Grazer’s production. When the family was ready to move ahead with the film again, they had to find an arbiter to get a deal done. That man was Peter Afterman, a man that was in charge of the Rolling Stones’ music licensing and visual media. He talked to Jagger, who talked to Grazer, and the rest is history.

Get On Up is rated 14A.

Read our review of the film here.

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