Deadline has learned that Ashton Sanders is in talks to the cast of Jesus Was My Homeboy, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, and Jesse Plemons.
Jesus Was My Homeboy tells the story of Black Panther Party member Fred Hampton, played by Kaluuya, as seen through the eyes of FBI informant William O'Neal, who will be portrayed by Stanfield. The film will delve into how the FBI infiltrated the Black Panthers, and ultimately assassinated Hampton, at the age 21, during a raid of his home in the early morning hours of December 4, 1969 after O'Neal slipped a sleeping agent into his drink.
Sanders is said to be playing Black Panther Party member Larry Roberson. Following his breakout performance in the 2016 film Moonlight where he played Chiron during his teenage years, Sanders has gone on to star alongside Denzel Washington in Equalizer 2 and play the lead role of Bigger Thomas in HBO's Native Son. He can currently be seen portraying RZA in the Hulu miniseries Wu-Tang: An American Saga.
Ryan Coogler will produce Jesus Was My Homeboy after assuming that same role in the LeBron James-led Space Jam 2. Coogler will be returning to the director's chair for the sequel to Black Panther, which is slated for a May 6, 2022 release.
Coogler will also reunite with Michael B. Jordan, following Fruitvale Station, Creed, and the aforementioned Black Panther, in Wrong Answer about an Atlanta-based math teacher who alters his students' test scores in an effort to acquire funding for his school.
