Veteran filmmaker Spike Lee's 'Chicago-Iraq' movie "Chi-Raq" is gearing up for the December release.
The film, set in Chicago, was initially planned to premiere at 2016 Cannes Film Festival but Amazon Studio is eyeing to release the film in December in order to join the Oscar run, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Exploring the issue of violence in inner-city Chicago, "Chi-Raq" will be the first release from Amazon Studios.
"We couldn't have come up with a better film to launch our division in every which way. Chi-Raq makes no apologies and dares to shock. Spike Lee is one of the most distinct and visionary filmmakers of our time," said Amazon's movie production chief, Ted Hope.
The 58-year-old filmmaker, who has also co-written the script with Kevin Willmott said the film is very special and people should not go by it's controversial title.
"I'm honoured to be part of the film that will launch Amazon Studios and to tell a story that is so important. Please don't be fooled by the title of 'Chi-Raq', this new Spike Lee joint will be something very special. We have assembled a stellar cast," said Lee.
A modern-day adaptation of classical Greek play Lysistrata, written by Aristophanes, "Chi-Raq" stars Teyonah Parris as a woman who protests black-on-black gun violence by going on a sex strike.
Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, DB Sweeney, Harry Lennix, Steve Harris, Angela Bassett, John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson will also be seen in pivotal roles.
