Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, Sterling K. Brown, Issa Rae join Jeffrey Wright in Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut for MGM’s Orion Pictures

MGM’s Orion Pictures has acquired the worldwide distribution rights to Emmy Award-winning writer Cord Jefferson’s untitled directorial debut starring Emmy Award winner Jeffrey Wright.

Produced by MRC, Rian Johnson, and Ram Bergman’s T-Street Productions, the film is based on the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett. Jefferson also adapted the screenplay.

“As longtime fans of Cord, we are thrilled to be a part of his first feature film and the opportunity to share his vision with global audiences,” Alana Mayo, president of Orion Pictures, said in a statement announcing the acquisition. “His adaptation of Everett’s biting narration and Jeffrey’s flamboyant style of character, combined with such an incredibly talented cast, create a wonderful chemistry to tell this story.”

Wright (“Batman,” “Westworld”) stars in the film as Thelonius “Monk” Ellison, an English professor and author who writes a satirical novel under a pseudonym, aiming to expose the hypocrisy of the publishing world. The immediate success of the book forces Monk to plunge deeper into his assumed identity and challenge his long-established views of the world.

The Tony, Emmy, AFI and Golden Globe-winning actor is surrounded by an all-star cast: including Golden Globe winner and Emmy-nominated Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish,” “Girlfriends”) as Lisa; Erika Alexander (“Get Out,” “Shining Girls”), who will play Coraline; Tony Award-winner and Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated Leslie Uggams (“Deadpool,” “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”) as Agnes; three-time Emmy Award winner Sterling K. Brown (“Black Panther,” “This Is Us”) as Cliff; Tony Mira nominated Lucretia Taylor (“The Big Sick,” “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”) as Lorraine; John Ortiz (“Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Promised Land”) as Arthur; Peabody winner, Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Issa Rae (“Insecure”) as Centara; and Adam Brody (“Shazam!”, “Unmarried Parents”) as Wiley.

The film, which recently wrapped production in Boston, is produced by Ben LeClair of T Street and Nikos Karamegios and Jermaine Johnson of 3 Arts and Jefferson.

Ross and Ray represent UTA and the law firm of Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox. Ross is represented by Artists First and ID; Rae is also represented by 3Arts Entertainment and AM PR Group. Brody is represented by UTA.

Alexander is represented by the talent agency Greene & Associates, Untitled Entertainment and the law firm of Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Brown is represented by JWS Entertainment, CAA, Jill Fritzo PR, and the law firm of Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Uggams is represented by the BRS / Gage Talent Agency. Taylor is represented by BRS / Gage Talent Agency. Ortiz is represented by The Gersh Agency, Entertainment LA and the law firm Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

(Pictured above: Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, and Essa Rae)