5 Actors Who Can Do Tupac Shakur (Poetic) Justice Onscreen
Chadwick Boseman, the late Tupac Shakur, and Michael B. Jordan (Photo Credit: Getty Images/Everett Collection/ …
"Tupac was the guy who I planned to do a lifetime of films with," Singleton, who worked with Shakur on his 1993 feature, "Poetic Justice," said in a statement. "His passing deeply affected my life as well as countless people in this world. His life story is as important to my generation."
The filmmaker, whose credits also include "2 Fast 2 Furious," was attached to the biopic years ago but bailed when a deal couldn't be made, which put the project in limbo. Now Singleton has signed on to re-write, direct, and produce the film.
The currently untitled biopic is set to start production as early as June, but first someone must be cast in the role of the iconic performer who died at the age of 25 on Sept. 13, 1996, after being shot multiple times in a Las Vegas drive-by.
[Related: Tupac Shakur: Jedi Master?]
We have ranked five contenders, in order of talent and believability, for the role of Tupac Shakur:
5. Brandon T. Jackson
We know 29-year-old Brandon Timothy Jackson has some smooth moves from his amusing turn as charming satyr Grover Underwood in the two "Percy Jackson" movies. He also managed to keep his dignity through the train wreck that was "Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son" (2011), which means he's something of a miracle worker.
4. Anthony Mackie
He may be a little old for the part at 34, but "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Pain & Gain" star Anthony Mackie has an effortless charisma that could capture the aura of Tupac. In fact, he hasalready done so, playing the late rapper in a 2009 biopic about Notorious B.I.G. called "Notorious." If Tupac were alive today and enjoying the successful film career foreshadowed by his terrific performances in films like "Juice" (1992) and especially "Gridlock'd" (1997), he might even be one of Mackie's strongest competitors.
3. Columbus Short
You know this 31-year-old star can dance (and we do mean dance) thanks to his appearances in "You Got Served" (2004), two "Stomp the Yard" movies, and even "Save the Last Dance 2" (2006). But Columbus Short can pretty much do anything, from comedy ("Death at a Funeral") to action ("Armored," "The Losers") to drama (he currently plays Harrison Wright on ABC's "Scandal") to horror ("Quarantine"). He also has a musical biopic on his resume, having played Little Walter in "Cadillac Records" (2008).
2. Chadwick Boseman
Hey, why not? He's a tad old for the part at 32-ish, but Chadwick Boseman is currently the go-to actor for playing prominent 20th century African American celebrities, having portrayed baseball great Jackie Robinson in "42" (2013) and currently filming his role as James Brown in "Get on Up" (which hits theaters on Aug. 1). If he moves so easily from an iconic baseball player's persona to that of the Godfather of Soul, chances are he could also do justice to one of the princes of rap.
1. Michael B. Jordan
One of the most in-demand actors right now is Michael B. Jordan, who followed up his strong turn as a high school superhero in "Chronicle" (2012) with a jaw-dropping performance as Oscar Grant in last year's Sundance darling "Fruitvale Station." (And Tupac hailed from Oakland, just like Oscar.) He can currently be seen in theaters opposite Zac Efron and Miles Teller in "That Awkward Moment" and is the rumored frontrunner for lead roles in the "Rocky" spin-off "Creed" and the upcoming "Fantastic Four" reboot.
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