Universal Pictures has released several new images for Get on Up, the James Brown biopic directed by Tate Taylor (The Help).  42 star Chadwick Boseman plays the Godfather of Soul in the film.  I’m not sure what kind of role there is for these kinds of films in the post Walk Hard universe.  Ever since that parody so thoroughly nailed the biopic genre the standard structure for these things has become so transparent.  It could very well be that this movie breaks out of the rather constraining narrative box, though most of the elements I’ve seen don’t indicate that it will.

Still, it could be a nice treat for Brown fans and the new images look handsome enough.  Brown didn't live a boring life by any means, so I'm sure hitting those required bases will provide some kind of enjoyment.  The film also stars Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, Lennie James, Tika Sumpter, Jill Scott, and Dan Aykroyd.  It opens on August 1st.  Check out the trailer if you missed it.  Hit the jump for the new Get on Up images.

Here’s the official synopsis for Get on Up:

In his follow-up to the four-time Academy Award®-nominated blockbuster The Help, Tate Taylor directs 42’s Chadwick Boseman as James Brown in Get on Up.  Based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, the film will give a fearless look inside the music, moves and moods of Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.  Boseman is joined in the drama by Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, Lennie James, Tika Sumpter, Jill Scott and Dan Aykroyd.