Will Smith to play Nicky Barnes, boss of the crime, in "The Council" – Deadline

Will Smith will play Nicky Barnes, head of the Judicial Police in New York, in his upcoming film on Netflix The board. The project will bring together Smith with Concussion director Peter Landesman, who wrote the script for the new film and who will be the executive producer. Smith and his partner James Lassiter produce the image for Westbrook Inc.'s Overbrook Entertainment with Matt Jackson of Jackson Pictures and Jason Essex for Anonymous Nobodies.

Landesman's story tells the unheard of story of a crime syndicate of seven African-American men who ruled Harlem in the 1970s and early 1980s. No ordinary crime syndicate – the men dreamed of a crime syndicate. a self-reliant and self-managed African-American city-state based on the drug revolution. The film is centered on the intrigue of the Shakespearean court between the king of the Council, Nicky Barnes, nicknamed "Mr. Untouchable "by the New York Times, and all the different members emerge as an improbable protégé.

Barnes, born Leroy Nicholas Barnes, was active in the 1970s at the head of an international network of drug traffickers, in partnership with the Italian-American mafia. He was arrested in 1978 and sentenced to life in prison, eventually becoming a federal informant, resulting in the disappearance of the Council. Barnes died of cancer in 2012, but his death was recently announced because he was under witness protection.

Landesman will be executive producer with Joanne Lee of Jackson Pictures and David Lee of Anonymous Nobodies.

Smith, recently seen on the big screen under the name of Genie in Disney's animated film Aladdin remake, has Fox & # 39; s Disguised spies animation, directed by Ang Lee Gemini Man at Paramount, and Sony Bad boys for life next to come.

Ryan Goodell of Morris Yorn traded on behalf of Essex, while CAA and Andrew Galker of Jackoway Austen negotiated on behalf of Landesman.

Overbrook is relaunched by CAA and Sloan, Offer. Jackson Pictures is with CAA and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.