In February 2014, John Singleton came on board to write, product, and direct a biopic about rapper Tupac Shakur, but his time on the project may have come to a close.

john-singleton-abduction-set-photo
Image via Lionsgate

Singleton spoke to XXL last week about the film being on hold, and his comments are telling with regards to his relation to the picture:

Well, we’re putting it on hold for right now. I’m putting my involvement on hold right now because we’re trying to figure out some things. I got a script and I got the blessings from his family. We’ll see. I’m putting it on hold until it’s right. We’ve got to get it right.

The Boyz n the Hood director continued about the care required to handle a Tupac biopic:

It’s a very intimidating because, like I said, you just want to get it right. I think the picture is not going to be good unless it’s offensive to some people. So, whenever you make a movie, you always have different elements that people have their say about. But when I’m making my movies, John Singleton movies, it’s really just my voice. So I can’t be listening to all the other suggestions of all these other people and shit. So we’re not going to pull the trigger on that until it’s right. If somebody else wants to do something different then they can do something different. But if it’s going to be right, it’s going to be right. It’s going to be something that potentially adorns 'Pac’s legacy.

Singleton’s resitence to pulling the trigger may have finally got him booted from the movie. According to Showbiz411, Singleton is out and director Carl Franklin is in, and is already in the process of casting. There’s currently no word if the production will continue to use Singleton’s script.

When we spoke to producer Randall Emmett about the film back in January, he said they were on track for a June start date, and that they were currently “prepping the logistics.” Emmett sounded like they were pretty happy with where they were with the project, so perhaps they grew impatient with Singleton, especially if they want to finally get the biopic in front of cameras.

If Showbiz411’s report is correct, then Franklin is definitely a step up. Although he’s primarily directed high-profile dramas for the past few years—including House of Cards, Homeland, The Affair, and Bloodline—he’s also done some excellent films like One False Move and Devil in a Blue Dress. Meanwhile, Singleton’s last movie was Abduction.