Queen Latifah to Star in Alcon Drama ‘Hope’s Wish’ (Exclusive)

Queen Latifah has signed on to star in Hope’s Wish, an inspirational true-life drama from Alcon Entertainment.

Alcon is reuniting with Los Angeles-based finance and production company Torridon/16:14, with which it worked on Blade Runner 2049, to finance and produce the movie, which is scheduled to go before cameras April 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Laurie Collyer, who directed the Maggie Gyllenhaal drama Sherrybaby, will helm Wish, which has a script by Diana Ossana, who won an Oscar for writing Brokeback Mountain. The project adapts the non-fiction book Hope’s Wish: How One Girl’s Dream Made Others Come True by Stuart and Shelby Stout.

Hope’s Wish is based on the true story of Hope Stout, a 12-year-old girl who, when diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, set out on a mission to fund the wishes of all the other health-challenged children in her part of North Carolina.

Latifah will play Make-A-Wish Foundation executive Toni Dubois, who worked with Stout to help raise the money. 

Walden Media is set to produce the pic alongside Steven P. Wegner and Val Hill and Yale Badik of Torridon/16:14. Alcon’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson will executive produce. 

Hope’s Wish will be released by Warner Bros. via Alcon’s output deal with the studio.

Latifah last appeared on the big screen in the surprise hit comedy Girls Trip, which also featured Tiffany Haddish. The Oscar-nominated actress and rapper in recent years has made a name for herself as a producer of TV shows and movies, including HBO’s multiple award-winning Bessie. Latifah is repped by CAA, Shakim Compere and Randi Michel.

Collyer is repped by Gersh and Principato-Young Entertainment.

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