A movie musical based on the music of R&B group Boyz II Men is in the works. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Malcolm D. Lee (Space Jam: Legacy, Girls Trip) is in talks to direct and produce the film, titled Brotherly.
The film follows a group of men who “will return to West Philadelphia for a high school reunion 20 years after having gone their separate ways – eventually finding hope, redemption and a new understanding of the enduring power of friendship,” according to a synopsis.
In addition to producing, Lee is also in talks to direct the project, which will be written by Marcus Gardley, who is behind the upcoming The Color Purple movie musical adaptation as well as Marvin Gaye biopic What’s Going On.
The biggest-selling R&B act of all time, Boyz II Men’s 20-year career has been blessed with record-breaking hits and a cavalcade of awards. Their silky smooth brand of R&B, dubbed “hip-hop doo-wop” by the group, helped redefine the genre, winning them legions of fans worldwide.
After performing at a well-received school Valentine’s Day party in 1989, the band managed to sneak backstage at a Philadelphia show by New Edition offshoot Bel Biv DeVoe. There Boyz II Men sang an a cappella version of New Edition’s ‘Can You Stand The Rain’, impressing Michael Bivins so much that he agreed to manage them. All set to record their debut album, however, delays and personality clashes led to founding member Marc Nelson’s departure, leaving the group a quartet.
Boyz II Men celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2011 by releasing Twenty, an album which featured their first original songs in a decade, alongside reworkings of their classics. Well received by critics, it also continued their commercial revival as it debuted at No.20 on the US charts. 2014 saw another album of new material, Collide, which found the band spreading their wings with a variety of new music styles. Though no new music has been forthcoming since, they continue to tour, staging residencies in Las Vegas and filling arena venues throughout the States.
Listen to the best of Boyz II Men on Apple Music and Spotify.