Known as “The King of Soul,” Otis Redding had a budding career that was tragically cut short. Now his life story will be told in biopic form titled, “Otis & Zelma”.
Legendary soul singer Otis Redding was only 26 years old when his plane went down in the cold waters of Lake Monona, in Wisconsin, on December 10, 1967. He had just begun to record what would become his most popular and recognizable tune and one of, if not his last recorded song, “(Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay.”
The musical drama will follow Redding’s rise to the top in the music world. In just six years, Otis became one of soul music’s biggest stars and STAX Records main attraction before his untimely death.
Otis will be played by John Boyega, known for the recent Star Wars movie franchise. Danielle Deadwyler will do the honors of playing the part of Zelma. Deadwyler played Emmett Till’s mother in the 2022 film Till.
Channing Godfrey Peoples will direct as part of Fifth Season. Stephanie Allain of Homegrown Pictures and Arron Saxe of Kinfolk Management + Media will produce the biopic. “Otis & Zelma” is written by playwriter, screenwriter, and actor Donnetta Lavinia Grays. Amon Newman, Homegrown’s Claire Brooks, and stars of the film Boyega and Deadwyler will executive produce. The Estate of Otis and Zelma fully support the film.
Otis Redding was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, was ranked the 9th greatest vocalist of All-Time by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2023, and this past October of 2024, was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The biopic celebrates the 10 short years Otis and Zelma had together and their eternal love story after his passing. Following his death Zelma started her own booking agency, record store, and a nightclub.
Otis left behind 4 children with Zelma and she has never remarried.
A release date for Otis & Zelma has yet to be revealed.
