HBO Not Moving Forward With Spike Lee/Doug Ellin’s ‘Da Brick’
John Castro Doug Ellin is 0-for-2 this pilot season.
HBO has passed on its Spike Lee/Ellin-produced boxing drama Da Brick, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The premium cable network has opted to pass on the boxing drama, which was described as a contemporary explorating of what it means to be a young, black man in a supposedly post-racial America.
The news comes more than a week after the network passed on Ellin’s 40, a comedy pilot about a group of guys (Ed Burns, Michael Rapaport, Michael Imperioli and Adrian Pasdar) exploring life after 40.
Da Brick was to have starred Attack the Block‘s John Boyega as Donnie, who after his release from juvenlie detention on his 18th birthday begins an exploration of what it means to be a man for himself and those around him.
Former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, Entourage creator Ellin and his producing partner Jim Lefkowitz were attached as nonwriting executive producers, along with Tyson’s wife, Lakiha Tyson. Azim Spicer was attached as a nonwriting co-executive producer. Lee would have directed the pilot with L.A. Riots‘ John Ridley on board to write and serve as showrunner.
Much as Entourage was inspired by producer Mark Wahlberg‘s life, Da Brick was to have reflected aspects of Tyson’s upbringing. It marked the latest in a string of Hollywood projects for Tyson, who has turned up in the Hangover franchise as well as Animal Planet’s Taking on Tyson. Last season, he added a cameo on Entourage to his résumé.
Ellin remains under an overall deal with HBO.
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