Spike Lee To Direct 'She's Gotta Have It' Series For Netflix
This past month marked the 30 year anniversary of Spike Lee's feature film She's Gotta Have It. Released on August 8, 1986, the movie is still relevant today, addressing the ongoing struggles women of color endure daily, especially in regards to sexuality. But it also celebrated black culture, offering a refreshing representation of black people in America that was different from its contemporaries.
Fast forward to 2016 and She's Gotta Have It is being turned into a 10 episode television series for Netflix. The idea of a TV series for Lee's first film has been around for the past two years: originally Showtime had partnered with the director to bring the show to life, but that's no longer the case.
The Netflix series is being described as a contemporary remake of the movie, with each episode being directed by Lee. He and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, will also serve as its executive producers.
In a statement from Lee about the Netflix pickup, he said the following:
"SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT Has A Very Special Place In My Heart. We Shot This Film In 12 Days (2 Six Day Weeks) Way Back In The Back Back Of The Hot Summer Of 1985 For A Mere Total of $175,000. Funds That We Begged, Borrowed and Whatnot To Get That Money. This Is The 1st Official Spike Lee Feature Film Joint And Everything That We Have Been Blessed With In This Tough Business Of Film All Have Been Due To SGHI. Now With The Passing (August 8th) Of The 30th Anniversary, It’s A Gift That Keeps On Giving. We Are Getting An Opportunity To Revisit These Memorable Characters Who Will Still Be Relevant And Avant Garde 3 Decades Later. With All That Said It Was My Wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, Producer In Her Own Right,Who Had The Vision To Take My Film From The Big Screen And Turn It Into An Episodic Series. It Had Not Occurred To Me At All. Tonya Saw It Plain As Day. I Didn't. We Are Hyped That NETFLIX Is Onboard With This Vision As Nola Darling, Mars Blackmon, Jamie Overstreet And Greer Childs DO DA DAMN THANG Now, Today In Da Republic Of Brooklyn, New York."
It'll be interesting to see the ways in which Lee changes the series from the film, as well as who he'll cast in the roles (specifically the lead role of Nola). Check back with us as more information is released.
