Two years after debuting at the Sundance Film Festival, the film adaptation of Walter Dean Myers novel, Monster, has found a distributor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix acquired the sought after film, whose all-star cast includes Jennifer Hudson, Jharrel Jerome, Nas, Kevin Harrison Jr., A$AP Rocky, John David Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Ehle, and Tim Blake Nelson.
Monster chronicles the fictional story of Steve Harmon, a 16-year-old Harlem teen battling a murder case. The plot explores his time in prison and subsequent release woven between themes of race, crime, peer pressure, and dehumanization.
The film is directed by Anthony Mandler — the lens behind music videos for music heavy hitters like Beyoncé, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Justin Bieber, and Jay Z.
Colen C. Wiley, Janece Shaffer and Radha Blank (writer and star of The 40-Year-old Version), adapted the film’s screenplay based off the 1999 award-winning novel.
Monster will be released under BRON Studios, ToniK Productions, and John Legend’s Get Lifted Film Co. The Grammy winner is among the film’s executive producer’s along with, Ty Stiklorius, Dan Crown, Yoni Liebling, Wright, and Nas.