CNN Films and HBO Max have commissioned a documentary feature on the late rock icon Little Richard.
The film, currently titled Little Richard: I Am Everything, is set to chart the extraordinary life and times of the flamboyant bouffant-haired rock singer, songwriter and pianist, who died in May 2020 at the age of 87. In a music career that spanned seven decades, the artist, who described himself as “the architect of rock ‘n’ roll,” topped the charts with songs like “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally” and electrified audiences with his stage performances, paving the way for countless major acts including The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and James Brown.
Directed by Lisa Cortés (All In: The Fight for Democracy, The Woodsman), the project will be produced by Bungalow Media + Entertainment in association with Rolling Stone. Mudbound director Dee Rees is on board as a producer as is Bungalow’s Robert Friedman. The film is currently in production and is expected to be completed later this year.
The project was first announced in December 2020, but has now found a home with HBO Max. The doc will premiere on CNN, with HBO Max holding domestic and international streaming rights to the film.
Additional producers for the film include Liz Yale Marsh and Mike Powers as executive producers; Caryn Capotosto, producer; and Rolling Stone executive producers Gus Wenner and Jason Fine. CNN Films and HBO Max are executive producers for the film.
