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Spike Lee, who comes to town later this month as part of the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest), plans to shoot his next feature film here, as well.

As reported by The Wrap, the project is called “Chiraq” and Lee is making it for Amazon Studios:

“The Oscar-nominated filmmaker is courting Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Piven, Common and Kanye West for the ensemble cast of ‘Chiraq,’ multiple individuals familiar with the project have told TheWrap.”

Three of those four names (minus Jackson) are Chicago-area natives.

The Tribune independently confirmed details of the Wrap’s report.

The city has been busy juggling a number of TV shows, but 2014 was a considerably slower year for films. “Chiraq” would be the first high-profile movie to film in Chicago this year.

Lee was in town back in January, apparently conducting research with the help of St. Sabina pastor Rev. Michael Pfleger.

“Thanks to Director/Actor Spike Lee,” Pfleger wrote on his Facebook page, “who spent the day at St. Sabina yesterday talking and interviewing….People who cover the violence, Principals who deal with violence in and around their schools, Brothers from the Blocks who live in it every day and Parents who have lost their children to Violence…..He spent the day from early morning till late in the night….listening and asking questions to try and get a deeper understanding of the plague of violence. Thanks Spike for caring and wanting to understand.”

The Wrap did not receive confirmation of the project from any of the principals involved.

The movie’s title is a controversial moniker that compares the city’s gun violence and danger level to that of the war zone in Iraq.

Lee is set to be here April 18 at City Winery to talk about his career. The 8 p.m. show is sold out but tickets are available for the 10:30 p.m. Go here for more information.

Source: Chicago Tribune