Spike Lee Will Helm Hip-Hop ‘Romeo & Juliet’ Adaptation ‘Prince of Cats’

A deal has been struck between Legendary Studios and “BlacKkKlansman” director Spike Lee to helm the film adaption of the graphic novel “Prince of Cats.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie’s script will be rewritten by Lee alongside Selwyn Seyfu Hinds and the graphic novel’s author and illustrator Ron Wimberly.

The story itself revolves around the 1980’s hip-hop scene infused with William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet.” Following Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, the premise will see the Montagues facing off against Tybalt’s Capulet brothers under the aptly-named Da People’s Republic of Brooklyn. Blending samurai fighting styles, 80s hip-hop, and Shakespearean drama, “Prince of Cats” will feature harrowing katana sword dueling, DJing, and a graffitied world lush with diverse characters.

Given Lee's love of Brooklyn and hip-hop, “Prince of Cats” will likely give the Chaplin Award winner the opportunity to stretch his legs as his most recent work, “Da 5 Bloods,” heads into postproduction.

Hinds, who wrote the first adapted screenplay for “Prince of Cats,” knows the hip-hop scene all too well. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of The Source magazine in addition to being a comic writer himself and penning an episode of Jordan Peele’s “The Twilight Zone.”

Announced just last year after Legendary acquired the rights for the film, “Atlanta” star Lakeith Stanfield was supposed to be playing the protagonist but has since dropped out. There’s still a great deal of time for "Prince of Cats" to be rounded out, especially given that script rewrites are still underway.

In addition to Jon Silk and Ali Mendes representing Legendary, “Prince of Cats” will also be produced by Zucker Productions’ Janet and Kate Zucker.

With no word on a release date, “Prince of Cats” likely won’t make it to the silver screen until at least 2021.