Lupita Nyong’o, Rihanna To Feature in Film Based on Social Media Memes

Grammy-award-winning artist Rihanna and Oscar-award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o are set to co-star in a playmate movie, after being photographed together at a fashion event.

The photo, which was taken at a Miu Miu fashion show in 2014, became part of a viral joke movie pitch on Twitter in April, prompting calls to turn it into a move, according to Entertainment Weekly:

 

Sources say Netflix was awarded the project after an aggressive bid with multiple other suitors at this year’s Cannes film festival, but it’s still unclear if the movie will follow the same idea as the original tweet.

Ava DuVernay, who is currently working on “A Wrinkle in Time” for Disney, will direct the film after Twitter users specifically recommended her for it, while Issa Rae, whose second season of HBO’s “Insecure” is expected to debut on July 23rd, will write the screenplay.

On Twitter, DuVernay wrote:

 

 

 I’m Up for It

Overwhelmed by the numerous calls by their fans on Twitter to collaborate in a playmate film, Rihanna and Lupita accepted the challenge, and since then, the excitement has only intensified:

 

Some fans have even been suggesting different creative concepts for the “playmate” story as displayed in the memes.

They want Rihanna to be a conniving woman who cons White men with the help of her highly intelligent co-conspirator Lupita.

The Guardian has reported that Netflix is planning to release the film in 2018, after DuVernay finishes her adaptation of “A Wrinkle.”