Believe It or Not, the New 2Pac Biopic Actually Looks Pretty Good
There was a collective groan last fall when — immediately following the unexpected critical and box office triumph of Straight Outta Compton — it was announced that a 2Pac biopic was being fast-tracked into production. Everything about the project felt cynical and ill-intentioned. Like, Really, Hollywood? You’re gonna just turn West Coast hip-hop into your next cinematic universe because one N.W.A. movie made money? How are you going to find someone believable to play the most charismatic, complicated, passionate rapper to ever touch the mic? And when can we expect the Ray J biopic to come out?
But today, to mark the 20th anniversary of Tupac’s passing, the second teaser trailer for All Eyez On Me was released. And now even we, overprotective hip-hop stans that we are, are forced to admit: this doesn’t look half-bad.
Leading man Demetrius Shipp, Jr. — whose father worked at Death Row Records and actually produced some early 2Pac joints — bears an eerie resemblance to the man himself and, despite this being his first acting role since grade school, appears to have pulled off a passable imitation of Pac’s intensity and aura. Add in the sure-handed direction of rap video veteran Benny Boom, and — as long as they’re, you know, actually able to get dude’s music in the movie — we might have a rare case of Hollywood capturing lightning in a bottle twice in a row on our hands.
All eyez will be on the box office returns come November 11th, when the flick is scheduled to finally hit theatres.
