Pharrell Williams’ life is set to inspire a big-screen musical called Atlantis.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the project will be based on the singer’s younger years in Virginia Beach. Initial reports suggest it will be similar to Romeo and Juliet, but with songs.
The film will reunite Pharrell with Fox, the studio he worked with on Oscar-nominated drama Hidden Figures. He acted as producer for the film, as well as providing much of the music.
Atlantis will be directed by Michael Mayer, known for his work on Broadway, including stints on Spring Awakening and American Idiot. His big-screen credits include family drama Flicka and upcoming Chekhov adaptation The Seagull.
At the age of 12, Pharrell was sent to a school for gifted children where he met Chad Hugo and they formed the Neptunes. He sold his first single at the age of 19.
The news arrives as the musical genre is in the middle of a major box-office comeback. Last year’s Oscar-winning romance La La Land has made $427 million (Dh1.5 billion) worldwide from a budget of just $30 million while Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast is close to $700 million globally after just one week of release.
