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Google PlayA new Suge Knight biopic is being planned after a recent deal in which the Death Row Records co-founder is said to have sold his life rights.
Per a report from Deadline, Knight’s life rights have been sold to producer Steve Whitney (whose prior production credits include the 2005 Amityville Horror remake) and his company TSW Films. Included in the article are extendsive comments from Knight, who is presently behind bars after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter back in 2018. Amid the comments, Suge addressed prior claims regarding his life rights and touted his own success in the music industry.
“Over the last 30 years, there has been so much talk about Compton, me, the inner cities, and Death Row—A lot of talk,” Knight said. “Even when it comes to making my movie there has been so many imposters saying they have my rights, or they got the deal—that was, and is, all talk. I jumped off the porch in my neighborhood at a young age but never forgot where I came from. Most people try to ride for the hills, I made it and tried to bring as many people to the hills with me and feel that I was successful at it.”
As you may recall, a TMZ report back in 2019 purported that Knight had made a life rights deal with Ray J. A separate subsequent article from the Blast published that October, however, included a recorded statement from Knight in which he disputed the wording of that report and clarified that any such deal was only focused on Death Row Records.
In the new Deadline report, Knight also explained his connection with Whitney, revealing he was introduced to the producer by Ruthless Records alum Mike Klein. Also announced on Monday was that Nick Cassavetes (Blow) and Anthony Thorne will pen the script, though further details—including release date, title, etc.—haven’t been publicly unveiled.
Suge Knight, of course, has been depicted in a number of previous biopics including F. Gary Gray’s 2015 hit Straight Outta Compton. In fact, it was during a Straight Outta Compton-related shoot that Knight is alleged to have gotten in an argument prior to a fatal hit-and-run incident that ultimately resulted in the aforementioned no contest plea of voluntary manslaughter.
