By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN — The prolific producer, writer and director Kenya Barris has a full slate of projects scheduled for this year and beyond, many of which he discussed over last weekend while attending the Sundance Film Festival. Barris discussed these forthcoming productions as part of the Variety Studio, which was presented by Audible. During that event he spotlighted three high profile future presentations, one of which has been in some form of development since 2020 and now has evolved from a feature film into a television series.
Barris has originally planned to direct a biopic on legendary comedian/actor Richard Pryor. Instead, it will now be a television series, though it is still very much a project being developed.
“It’s a 10-part limited biographical series that takes a look from cradle to grave,” Barris told Variety. “From his earliest upbringing — he grew up in a ho house, or a house of ill repute — and became, at one point, the biggest star in the world.”
He added that he was “in the room with it right now” as far as the development on the series, adding, “It is my baby. I love it. He is my comedy god. A super flawed guy, but who everything, to this day, the comedy that we remember — even including [Dave] Chappelle — is derivative of what he started. That honest, reflecting, observational look at what the world is and the differences between us that actually make us more similar than we are apart. I think telling his story and letting people see things that they didn’t know about him is something that I’m super excited to bring to life.”
Barris is perhaps best known to contemporary audiences as the creator of the long-running sitcom “Blackish.” But among many other things, he’s also the director of “You People.” He announced plans to update a pair of classic films, “The Wizard of Oz” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Barris said that the script for his reimagining of “The Wizard of Oz” had been completed. His version of Dorothy is a girl who lives in the Bottoms, which is a huge apartment complex located in Inglewood, Calif.
“The original ‘Wizard of Oz’ took place during the Great Depression and it was about self-reliance and what people were going through,” Barris said. “I think this is the perfect time to switch the characters and talk about what someone imagines their life could be. It’s ultimately a hero’s journey, someone thinks something’s better than where they’re at, and they go and realize that where they’re at is where they should be. I want people to be proud and happy about where they’re from. But I want the world to take a look at it and I hope that will come through.”
Another film that Barris is remaking is the holiday staple “It’s a Wonderful Life” at Paramount. His version will be centered around a person of color. Barris believes the story, originally made famous in Frank Capra’s 1946 film starring Jimmy Stewart, also works well with a different setting and perspective.
“I feel like Christmas movies are amazing and I think the idea of taking something that has that long of a history and a tale behind it and putting an amazing piece of talent to tell that story,” Barris said. “It’s a guy who’s trying to help out his community and things are going to turn around on him. I think that’s the perfect story to tell for a person of color — Black or brown — to get into that because our communities have some issues and someone trying to help that community out. I think that’s the perfect vehicle to tell that story from.”
He added that “I’m still a believer in IP. I think I get criticized for it sometimes, but I believe that the idea of some of those great stories – stories are all told again and again and again. So having the opportunity to take some of those IPs and tell them from a different point of a view is a gift that I hopefully keep getting.”
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