George Floyd biopic ‘Daddy Changed the World’ in development

The film's announcement coincides closely with the fourth anniversary of George Floyd's tragic death on May 25, 2020. (Image via X)

The man whose brutal demise gave rise to the Black Lives Matter movement, George Floyd, is getting a biopic treatment through a family authorized film.

Floyd’s daughter and her mother, Gianna Floyd and Roxie Washington will be serving as executive producers of the film titled, “Daddy Changed the World”. The project is currently in the process of finding a director. Radar Pictures, known for credits such as ‘Jumanji’ (2017), ‘Pitch Black’ (2000), and ‘The Last Samurai’ (2003), along with 8 Queens Film & Media Production and Night Fox Entertainment, are set to produce the new feature film.

The film’ screenplay is being written by Gregory R. Anderson (Stomp the Yard), and will chronicle the life of the man whose tragic death in 2020 ignited a worldwide call for racial justice and intensified the fight against police brutality. The production team includes Ted Field from Radar Pictures, Dr. Kaeita Rankin from 8 Queens, and Timothy Christian from Night Fox.

The announcement of the film comes just days shy of the fourth anniversary of George Floyd's tragic death which lies on May 25, 2020. Floyd was apprehended by Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin then knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, despite Floyd's repeated pleas that he couldn't breathe. The harrowing video of Floyd's death quickly went viral, igniting a global outcry for racial justice and fueling the Black Lives Matter movement.

During the harrowing moments of his suffocation, Floyd's desperate pleas of "I can't breathe" resonated deeply and emerged as a poignant rallying cry for the racial justice movement. In 2021, Derek Chauvin faced trial and was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. The subsequent year, Chauvin received a prison sentence exceeding 20 years for infringing upon Floyd's constitutional rights. Additionally, a federal jury convicted three other Minneapolis police officers of breaching the same civil rights law.

The biographical film aims to present Floyd not as an idealized figure, but as a flawed human being and a father whose tragic death had a profound global impact. Unlike conventional biopics, this movie is described as a "gritty drama of a man and his community thrust into the fiery light of history,” according to a press release.

“We are excited the world will see the real, jovial and loving George we know,” said Roxie Washington, in a statement to Deadline. “This film will humanize him, embody the essence of his life, and hopefully reignite efforts to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It’s time for justice and equality for all.