A Wiley biopic is heading to the big screen

A feature film based on the Godfather of grime Wiley is in the works.

Pulse Films, the production company behind Beyonce’s Lemonade, and BMG are developing the biopic, which is being directed by Adam Smith, who previously helmed the Chemical Brothers documentary Don’t Think and Wiley’s ‘Wot Do U Call It?’ music video.

The film will follow Wiley, real name Richard Kylea Cowie, on his journey from being a struggling producer and pirate radio host living in a council estate in East London to becoming an internationally acclaimed pioneer hailed as the originator of grime. In parallel it will explore grime’s growth from the UK underground to a popular sensation.

Speaking about the project, Wiley said: “This is my life, my highs and lows, but it’s not really all about me. When I make music, help the scene or even do something like this, it’s like I’m not alone any more. It’s for people who grew up like me. I’m doing it to help people who are lost like me.”

Smith said: “Meeting Wiley and seeing what he and his friends were creating was a huge inspiration to me. Making a film about this incredible talent and his story 15 years later is very exciting.”

The script for Wiley is being penned by Sabrina Mahfouz, and Wiley’s sister Janaya Cowie and SBTV founder Jamal Edwards are executive producers.

Pulse Films CEO Marisa Clifford said: “We’re honored to be working with [Wiley] on such an ambitious project and thrilled to be collaborating with Adam Smith, who is an incredible and innovative filmmaker. We’re also very excited to be working with Sabrina Mahfouz, who we think is one of the most exciting young writers around.”

No announcement on who will be playing Wiley in the biopic has been made.

[Via: Variety]

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Staff Writer, follow him on Twitter