4 Minute Mile
In an interview with Spike Lee, Melvin Van Peebles likened Lee to Roger Bannister--the man credited with running the first four-minute mile. The point of this comparison was that after each man’s respective innovative endeavors, their once unique pursuits, in turn, became the standard.
That being said, and on the heels of the November 25 shooting death of Sean Bell, an unarmed New York native who was fired upon fifty times by New York City police and the similar case of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston in Atlanta, Georgia later that week, Lee is set to lend his directing talents to the Universal Pictures backed LA Riots. Based on the 1992 riots incited by the acquittal of four police officers accused of using excessive force towards Rodney King, LA Riots will be produced by Brian Grazer of Inside Man and written by John Ridley (two words: Esquire Magazine).
LA Riots will begin shooting next year.