Jamie Foxx is returning to the genre that won him an Oscar. The “Ray” star has signed on to star in the musical biopic “The Soloist” for DreamWorks.
Joe Wright, who recently wrapped the James McAvoy/Keira Knightley starrer “Atonement,” is on board to direct the project, which is based on a 12-part series of articles by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez.
The story centers on a homeless musician with schizophrenia who dreams of playing at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Susannah Grant (“Erin Brockovich”) adapted the screenplay.
Lopez’s articles, “From Skid Row to Disney Hall,” were published in 2005 and will serve as the basis for an upcoming book by Putnam.
Foxx, who won the best actor Academy Award for playing Ray Charles in “Ray,” previously teamed with DreamWorks for the Motown musical “Dreamgirls.” His upcoming credits include the Middle East-set thriller “The Kingdom.”