Queen Latifah will appear in and produce the teen comedy “Paper Chase” movie through her Flavor Unit production company along with Gunpowder & Sky.
Latifah and Shakim Compere, who founded Flavor Unit in 1995, will executive produce with Gunpowder & Sky’s Van Toffler.
“Paper Chase” was created by writers Angela Tucker and Lauren Domino. Tucker (“All Styles”) will direct while Domino will produce. Loretha Jones is also set to executive produce.
“Shakim and I have known Van forever and we’re thrilled to collaborate with him and his team,” said Latifah. “This film is exactly what we love to do, make fun and energetic projects that audiences have a blast going to see. Lauren Domino and Angela Tucker are such great talents and we can’t wait to get started.”
The story will follow an ideal driven, well-meaning New Orleans teenager named Alicia, who is ready to reinvent herself at Kensington University in Atlanta. When she can’t pay her tuition fees, Alicia, her cash-strapped mom, and her best friend plan to throw a rager to raise the money to keep her college dream alive.
“I’m looking forward to getting the old MTV Films crew back together and continuing the tradition of exposing new breakthrough talent like Lauren and Angela,” said Toffler. “And, getting the opportunity to work with Queen Latifah and Shakim is an opportunity you don’t pass up.”
Gunpowder & Sky’s David Harris and Tara Billik will manage the project.
Latifah starred in the hit comedy “Girls Trip” and stars in the Fox series “Star.” Gunpowder & Sky specializes in developing and distributing independent projects and recently acquired the domestic rights to Alex Ross Perry’s drama “Her Smell,” starring Elisabeth Moss as a tormented punk rock singer.
(This story has been revised from its original version, which said Latifah would star)