‘Color Purple’ Director Sets ‘Black Samurai’ Project at Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. is getting back in business with The Color Purple director Blitz Bazawule as the studio has landed the rights to a tentatively titled Black Samurai movie with Bazawule directing. Bazawule wrote on spec and will also produce under his Inward Gaze banner.

The story will follow Yasuke, an African warrior who served under Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku period of samurai conflict in 16th century Japan. Sources tell Deadline four studios were in the mix but ultimately Warners came in with best offer on top of good relationship that began following his work on the recent musical adaptation of The Color Purple.

While a number of Yasuke projects have existed in the past, insiders say the very original approach from the the filmmaker is being compared to groundbreaking films such a 300 and Mad Max (the exact approach still under wraps).

Besides The Color Purple, Bazawule also continues to develop a limited series for FX based on his debut novel The Scent of Burnt Flowers, in which Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is attached to star and executive produce.

He is repped by CAA and M88.