“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters. Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true,” said Jenkins in a statement.
Jenkins earned a screenwriting Oscar for 2017 best picture winner Moonlight, which he directed, and was also nominated for his screenplay for his directorial follow-up, 2018’s If Beale Street Could Talk. He recently wrapped filming on the Amazon limited series The Underground Railroad.
Nathanson’s credits also include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) for Disney.
Jenkins is repped by CAA. Nathanson is repped by UTA.
