Kenya Barris provides an update on his new Richard Pryor TV series
An update has been provided on the forthcoming TV series based on the life of the celebrated American comedian Richard Pryor.
Previously thought to be a movie, director Kenya Barris recently appeared on Variety Studio to confirm that the new project would actually be a TV series. “It’s a 10-part limited biographical series that takes a look from cradle to grave,” the director, who previously helmed 2023’s You People, added, “From his earliest upbringing — he grew up in a ho house, or a house of ill repute — and became, at one point, the biggest star in the world”.
Confirming that he is currently penning the series, Barris exclaimed: “It is my baby. I love it. He is my comedy god. A super flawed guy, but who everything, to this day, the comedy that we remember — even including [Dave] Chappelle — is derivative of what he started. That honest, reflecting, observational look at what the world is and the differences between us that actually make us more similar than we are apart”.
In addition to this new TV series, Barris also provided updates on two remakes of classic movies from cinema history, 1939’s The Wizard of Oz and 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life.
His new version of The Wizard of Oz will take the story to a vast apartment block in Inglewood, California, explaining: “The original Wizard of Oz took place during the Great Depression and it was about self-reliance and what people were going through…I think this is the perfect time to switch the characters and talk about what someone imagines their life could be”.
When it comes to the festive classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, Barris wants to remake the movie from the black perspective. Speaking about the project, he stated: “I think that’s the perfect story to tell for a person of color — Black or brown — to get into that because our communities have some issues and someone trying to help that community out. I think that’s the perfect vehicle to tell that story from”.
While we wait for the arrival of such projects, take a look at the trailer for Barris’ 2023 film, You People, below.
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