Power producer 50 Cent working with Eminem on 8 Mile series
The rapper said he was "serious" about bringing the story to the small screen.
Power producer 50 Cent has announced plans to produce a television series inspired by 8 Mile, the 2002 semi-autobiographical drama which starred Eminem in the lead role.
The rapper has become prolific on the small screen since producing crime drama Power, which ran for six seasons and spawned three spin-offs titled Ghost, Raising Kanan and Force respectively.
Now, the musician also known as Curtis Jackson, is teaming up with Eminem for a fresh take on the 8 Mile story, which he claims will set out to honour the rapper's legacy.
“I’m gonna bring his 8 Mile to television,” Jackson told YouTube channel Big Boy TV. “We’re in motion. It’s gonna be big. I ain’t got no duds. I’m batting a hundred, I’m batting a hundred."
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He continued: "I think it should be there for his legacy, because if you don’t see… it’s important to me that they understand it, you know what I mean?"
It's certainly prestigious material to revisit as the original film was a box office hit and earned strong reviews from critics, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song (which went to Eminem's own 'Lose Yourself').
Following the interview, Jackson confirmed on Instagram that he was "serious" about the 8 Mile project, although no broadcaster, streaming service or release date has been announced just yet.
The caption read: "Yeah and you thought I was PLAYING around, I'm so serious man! This is gonna be crazy."
While Netflix currently holds the rights to the original Power series in the UK, the franchise has grown primarily on US broadcaster Starz and its associated streaming service StarzPlay.
Given the existing relationship that 50 Cent has with the company, it's possible that Starz could be first to hear the pitch for an 8 Mile series, although that is only speculation for now.
If the project has as much momentum behind it as Jackson has teased, we can expect more details soon.
Power is available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
