Disney & Moonlight Writer Join Forces for David Oyelowo Musical

Osar - winning screenwriter / dramatist Tarell Alvin McCraney and Disney are collaborating on a melodic project titledCyrano the Moor , with David Oyelowo onboard as the intended star . McCraney picked up an Academy Award in the first place this year for his work on the Best Picture Oscar - winningMoonlight , a film that was establish on McCraney ’s unpublished playIn Moonlight Black Boys front Blue(which McCraney helped film producer Barry Jenkins ferment into a feature - length flick screenplay ) .

Cyrano the Moor , as its title implies , borrow elements from two classic play - Edmond Rostand’sCyrano de Bergeracand William Shakespeare’sOthello- and expend them to create an original musical tale , lay out in the Bristol region of England circa the 1800s . How the rather adult stories ofCyrano de Bergerac(a comedy / drama about a gifted poet and musician who is made super insecure by his enormous olfactory organ ) andOthello(a tragedy about how stately cosmopolitan Othello is lead astray and led to his doom by the jealous Iago ) will be meld together in a way set to be released under the Disney company ’s family - friendly streamer , rest to be seen .

Deadlinereports that McCraney was land onboard to writeCyrano the Moorafter Disney purchased the idea from Oyelowo ’s ontogenesis squad , with the intention of Oyelowo headline the project . Additional story detail for the movie have yet to be give away , but the film is being envisioned as a " lavish " hot - action melodic in the vein of conductor Bill Condon ’s belt hitBeauty and the Beast , among other hits musicals release by the Mouse House over the old age ( think alsoInto the Woods ) .

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Oyelowo , as it were , is coming off an acclaimed political campaign asOthello ’s namesake in a modified off - Broadway yield of the swordplay at the New York Theatre Workshop ( paired Daniel Craig as Iago ) . The classically - coach English actor already has an established working relationship with the Mouse House ; he previously starred in the studio apartment ’s acclaimed true story - inspired chess dramaQueen of Katweand is presently lend his representative to two Disney revive TV shows : The Lion King - inspiredThe Lion Guard(where he voices Scar ) andStar Wars Rebels(where he voices Agent Kallus ) .

Both Oyelowo and McCraney have long and decorated histories in theater , making their quislingism onCyrano the Moor- a project that is likely steep in dramatic art history and custom - all the more challenging , right off the bat . Oyelowo has openly made it his mission to promote inclusivity through his film and TV undertaking and him have a hand in bringing McCraney onboard for a Disney musical is a further will to his commitment to attain that end .

Cyrano the Moor , by the look of it , is still in other developing and has yet to set down a theater director , so it might be some time before we get another substantial update on its advancement . In the meanwhile , you could hear Oyelowo back as the articulation of Kallus inStar Wars Rebelsseason 4 ( which premieres on Disney XD in October ) and also see him in such forthcoming picture show asCloverfield 3(aka . God Particle ) and Doug Liman’sChaos Walkingnovel adaption .