DreamWorks has acquired the life rights to Martin Luther King Jr. and is bringing a biopic on the slain civil rights leader to the big screen, reports Variety. Steven Spielberg, Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones will produce.King's estate owns the copyright to all the speeches, books and famous works of the slained civil rights leader. This will be the first film to be authorized by the estate and gives the producers the right to utilize King's intellectual property -- including his famous "I Have a Dream" speech delivered during the 1963 March on Washington.
"We are all honored that the King Estate is giving us the opportunity to tell the story of these defining, historic events," Spielberg. "It is our hope that the creative power of film and the impact of Dr. King's life can combine to present a story of undeniable power that we can all be proud of."
"In trying to tackle such an ambitious project, the question we had to ask ourselves is, 'Why now?' " DreamWorks CEO and co-chairman Stacey Snider said. "The answer lies in MLK's own words: 'All progress is precarious.' With every step forward, new obstacles emerge and we must never forget that his life and his teachings continue to challenge us every day to stand up to hatred and inequality.
King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4th, 1968, at the age of 39.
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