Variety reports that Universal Pictures and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/actress Janelle Monae have signed a first-look production deal with the film division of her label, Wondaland Pictures.
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Monae, who is currently set to star in the upcoming Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet for Universal, created Wondaland in 2001 shortly after meeting OutKast’s Big Boi, initially starting as minor company Wondaland Arts Society before revamping and becoming Wondaland Records in 2015.
Through the partnership, the newly founded film division of the company and Universal will work together to develop content across multiple genres that will shine new light on underrepresented voices and perspectives.
“There is an exciting, artistic revolution taking place in our industry, and Janelle and the talented team at Wondaland are at the forefront,” said studio chairman Donna Langley. “Their forward-thinking, inclusive approach to content and storytelling make them a perfect fit for our studio.”
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Monae is also set to star in the upcoming Universal drama Welcome to Marwen alongside Steve Carrell (Beautiful Boy), Leslie Mann (Blockers) and Diane Kruger (The Infiltrator), which is set to hit theaters on December 21. She previously starred in the acclaimed 2016 biopic Hidden Figures, for which she also wrote and performed a new original song “Isn’t This The World,” and the Oscar-winning 2016 coming-of-age drama Moonlight.
She will also be seen in the upcoming live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp for Disney, which is currently filming, and the animated film of the toy franchise UglyDolls, which is set to hit theaters on May 10, 2019.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
