VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A movie in the works from Pharrell Williams will be set in Virginia Beach in the late 1970s.
The untitled project from Universal will be a coming-of-age musical inspired by Williams’ childhood at the Atlantis Apartments, according to a report from Deadline. The specific year will be 1977, four years after Williams, 50, was born.
Williams and Mimi Valdés from his i am OTHER company are set to produce the film, with directing help from Michel Gondry, who’s best known for “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”
Universal’s also in talks to have Kelvin Harrison Jr., who’s getting ready to appear in Barry Jenkins’ “Mufasa: The Lion King,” and 2024 Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy (“The Holdovers”) in the movie.
The film is set to be filmed in Richmond and in Hampton Roads. There’s currently no title or estimated release date at this time.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office said the film will be eligible to receive a Virginia film tax credit or grant, depending on the number of Virginia workers hired and other factors.
“This high-profile project will place a global spotlight on Virginia as both an incomparable place to visit and as a preferred destination for investment from this growing industry,” Youngkin said in a release. “The project will provide high-wage jobs, help retain our trained production workforce, and deliver an immediate economic impact shared across a variety of sectors, from construction to hospitality. We warmly welcome Pharrell and the team behind this groundbreaking project to Virginia.”
Other recent projects filmed in Virginia include the critically acclaimed series “Dopesick” and the Apple TV+ series “Swagger.”
You can read more about the movie here.
