AceShowbiz -

After stealing attention with his portrayal of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, Chadwick Boseman will try to impress people with his transformation into a renowned singer. Variety learns that the "42" actor is set to portray James Brown in a currently unnamed biopic from Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment.

The movie will follow the rise of the legendary artist, known as the Godfather of Soul, from extreme poverty in Georgia to becoming a world famous and highly influential musician with such hits as "Please, Please, Please", "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and many more. "The Help" director Tate Taylor is on board to serve behind the lens.

Taylor will direct from a script provided by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. Serving as producers are Brian Grazer and Victoria Pearman, along with Erica Huggins and Mick Jagger under their Jagged Films banner. Trish Hofmann and Peter Afterman are set to executive produce while Peter Cramer and Maradith Frenkel will oversee for Universal.

The project has been developed by Grazer since 2001. Eddie Murphy and Wesley Snipes were previously linked to the coveted role. Spike Lee was once attached to direct.

Boseman will next be seen in another sports film, "Draft Day", in which he stars alongside Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner and Tom Welling.