Johnny Depp Movie About the Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. Officially Gets Distributor

Entertainment Weekly reports that the film about the murder investigation of the deaths of rappers Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac starring Johnny Depp now officially has a distributor.

The film was announced a few weeks ago but now Open Road Films has now attributed all North American rights to the investigative thriller, which is set to begin production in November. The film will be directed by Brad Furman, who also directed the thriller, The Lincoln Lawyer starring Matthew McConaughey.

The movie will focus on Russell Poole, who will be played by Depp, a "disgraced LAPD detective who has been unable to solve the slayings of the rival hip-hop artists for two decades," according to EW. The film is based on Randall Sullivan's non-fiction book, Labyrinth: A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implication of Death Row Records’ Suge Knight, and the Origins of the Los Angeles Police Scandal.

Poole — who passed away in August 2015 - became well-known within hip-hop circles after appearing on VH1’s Behind The Music in July 2001. In that particular episode, he claimed that the Brooklyn rapper’s death involved a massive cover-up, and he maintained that theory until he died.

In other movie news, a Tupac biopic, All Eyez On Me is also scheduled to hit theaters in November.