Watch: Funky First Trailer for James Brown Biopic, ‘Get On Up,’ Starring Chadwick Boseman

Chadwick Boseman as the late James Brown in ‘Get on Up’ (2014)

Chadwick Boseman , who brought Jackie Robinson to life for a whole new generation in 2013’s 42 , will hopefully do the same with the upcoming warts-and-all biopic on Godfather of Soul James Brown in Get on Up .

The film’s first official trailer gives us a glimpse at Brown’s triumphant and turbulent rise from destitute poverty in Augusta, Georgia to a becoming a music legend.

The Universal film boasts an all-star cast: Nelsan Ellis ( True Blood ) as longtime Brown collaborator Bobby Byrd, Jill Scott ( Why Did I Get Married? ) as Brown’s second wife Deidre “Dee-Dee” Jenkins; Tika Sumpter ( The Haves and the Have Nots ) as singer Yvonne Fair, Viola Davis ( The Help ) as James Brown’s mother Susie, Octavia Spencer ( Fruitvale Station ) as his aunt Honey, Keith Robinson ( 35 and Ticking ) as guitarist Baby Roy, Lennie James ( Colombiana ) as Brown’s father Joe, Dan Aykroyd ( Ghostbusters ) as his agent Ben Bart, Craig Robinson ( This Is the End ) as saxophonist Maceo Parker, New Edition’s Ralph Tresvant as singer Sam Cooke.

Chadwick Boseman as James Brown & Jill Scott as Deidre “Dee-Dee” Jenkins in ‘Get on Up’ (2014)

Shot in Natchez and Jackson, Mississippi, the Tate Taylor -directed feature is based on a screenplay by written by Steven Baigelman, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth , and it’s produced by Brian Grazer and Rolling Stones ‘ Mick Jagger .

Get on Up will hit theaters nationwide on August 1st.

[via okayplayer.com ]

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