Queen Latifah Biopic: Will Smith to Produce New Film

Queen Latifah and Will Smith Team Up for New Hip-Hop Biopic Series

The Oscar-nominated star's life story kicks off a production partnership between Flavor Unit, Westbrook Studios, and Jesse Collins Entertainment.

Sofia Chen

Mar 18, 2026, 9:06 AM PT · 2 min read

Missy Ward Queen Latifah Shawn Collins — Photo: Affiliate Summit / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

THE RUNDOWN

Queen Latifah is developing a biopic detailing her life and legendary career.
Flavor Unit Entertainment, Westbrook Studios, and Jesse Collins Entertainment are co-producing the film.
Will Smith and Shakim Compere are confirmed as producers for the upcoming project.
The film is the first in a series of biopics honoring hip-hop legends.
Latifah stated the lead actress must be brave to handle her life's ups and downs.

Queen Latifah is officially bringing her legendary life story to the big screen. The multitalented star is developing a biopic about her journey from New Jersey hip-hop pioneer to Hollywood icon. The project is a major collaboration between her own Flavor Unit Entertainment, Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios, and Jesse Collins Entertainment. It serves as the first installment in a planned series of films focused on the legends of hip-hop.

The film is being produced by Latifah herself alongside longtime business partner Shakim Compere, as well as Will Smith and Jesse Collins. While a release date and director have not yet been named, the announcement has already sparked massive interest in who will portray the "U.N.I.T.Y." rapper. Latifah recently told Entertainment Tonight that finding the right lead will be a challenge, stating the actress would need to be "brave" to navigate the many personal and professional highs and lows she has experienced.

This biopic marks a full-circle moment for Latifah and Smith, whose professional relationship dates back to their work together in the 1990s. Beyond Latifah’s story, the production trio plans to develop several other films focused on hip-hop’s most influential figures. For Latifah, this project is about more than just her own legacy; it is about setting a high standard for how the stories of hip-hop icons are told in modern cinema.