Leave it to Jamie Foxx to break the dam on development news amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Oscar winner has signed on to direct the faith-based film When We Pray, which he also co-wrote with Donald Ray “Speedy” Caldwell. Hailing from Cinema Libre Studio and Hong Kong-based Fight to Fame Films, When We Pray follows two brothers who become pastors at different churches in the same community. One brother develops his church into a high-tech megachurch, while the other brother follows a humbler path, but soon finds his church in decline and in need of financial help.
To be honest, faith-based films aren’t really my thing, but I actually think this is a pretty good premise. I’ll be curious to see who Foxx casts as the sibling pastors, and whether he plans to tackle one of the leads himself, as I can totally see him playing a man of God.
According to Deadline, Rodney Mason of Fast Mouse Films will executive produce the indie film, which is aiming to start production before the end of the year on a budget of less than $5 million.
“It’s a great honor to work with such a talented and passionate man as Jamie Foxx, and I’m pleased to have our new Fight to Fame partners onboard. [They] will give Jamie the total freedom to make this film, which is close to his heart,” said Philippe Diaz, founder and chairman of Cinema Libre.
“Jamie Foxx is a Hollywood superstar, but audiences around the world love him as well. Our strong relationships in China and other Asian countries will ensure that When We Pray will be enthusiastically received by Asian moviegoers,” added Fight to Fame chairman Carrie Wang.
Foxx is coming off an acclaimed performance opposite Michael B. Jordan in Just Mercy, and he’ll soon be heard as the lead in Pixar’s Soul, which is slated to hit theaters on June 19. Foxx’s feature directorial debut All-Star Weekend is currently in post-production, so When We Pray will mark his second time behind the camera. Foxx had been expected to star in a new Spawn movie, but given all that has happened this week, his involvement remains up in the air
