Jenifer Lewis and Debbie Allen have linked up to recreate Billy Wilder‘s classic 1950′s film Sunset Boulevard for the contemporary flick Ventura Boulevard.
According to Shadow and Act, Lewis will take the lead in the dark comedy as a “self-deluded queen of 1970′s blaxpoitation movies who uses her guile, money and sex to manipulate a young white script writer into creating her comeback part.”
The Academy Award-winning film originally starred Gloria Swanson and William Holden.
Allen will serve as director, while Oscar nominee and Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner Marc Shaiman scores the project. Lewis will assume the role of executive producer.
“I am taking things into my own hands by producing Ventura Boulevard,” she explained, adding that she is excited to explore the themes of aging, race and deception.
“The Hollywood establishment isn’t going to finance a movie about a middle aged African-American diva who deceives and beds a young white man.”
Production is slated for summer 2014 for a 2015 release.