Warner Bros. has put forth plans to bring the longest running music television show to the big screen. According to Variety, the iconic dance show, ‘Soul Train,’ will soon be made into a feature film, and will written by Malcolm Spellman, and produced by the show’s host and creator, Don Cornelius.
Spellman told Variety that the film will be set in the 80s, a period that held significant influence to the rise of Hip Hop dance culture. “All of the Hip Hop street dances you see today were born during that time period and were first seen on that show,” Spellmanexplained. “I remember doing all of them when I was a kid.”
The film focuses on its protagonist “Protag” who lives in 1980s Los Angeles. He encounters difficulties while attempting to become a regular on the SoulTrain tour. “The guy is a serious popper, with a street edge,” Spellman told Variety. “And he wants to get on that tour with the hottest of the hot.”
Spellman also shared his experience working with Don Cornelius. “Writing with Don involved is quite an experience. He’s still the godfather of cool.”
Running from 1971 to 2006 for 1,117 epidsodes, Soul Train is considered a staple in dance music television, with 35-years under its belt and several spinoffs (including the Soul Train Music Awards). No official date has been set for the release of the film.
