2012-07-24

His last film was the '70s-homaging Rock-starrer Faster, but George Tillman Jr seems to be returning to the city-based family drama of his earlier Soul Food for his next project. The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete is on its way before the cameras, with Anthony Mackie and Jeffrey Wright among the cast. Mackie and Wright are apparently playing characters called Chris and Henry, which tells us little to nothing. The only synopsis for the film that has emerged so far pegs it as "a coming of age drama about two inner-city youths who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities." Since Mackie and Wright could not be considered likely casting for "inner city youths", we're going to suggest that they're not the centre of the film. But where are the fathers in the set-up as outlined above? Could the two be playing previously absent or unengaged patriarchs, forced to step up? Either way, it's the first time they'll have appeared together in a film since The Manchurian Candidate in 2004. Eric Ruffin and Julito McCullum are the youngest cast members so far, suggesting that they will be the ones taking to the streets. What's also notable is a musical connection, with the mothers set to be played by American Idol alumni Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks, and Alicia Keys executive producing. The screenplay is by Michael Starrbury, a realtive newcomer, although he's got some short films under his belt and the action comedy Fully Automatic in development with Joel Silver. There are no release dates yet for Inevitable Defeat, but shooting starts imminently, if it's not underway already.