AceShowbiz - Actor Jason Mitchell is aiming to get his career back on track by tackling a biopic about police brutality victim Sean Bell.

The "Straight Outta Compton" star has been hitting headlines for all the wrong reasons of late, but now he's hoping to shift the spotlight back to his work onscreen in the timely project, "50 Shots".

Bell and two pals were leaving a strip club in Queens, New York for his bachelor party back in 2006 when both uniformed and plainclothes police officers opened fire on their car, unleashing 50 shots, killing the 23-year-old on the eve of his wedding.

Undercover cops, who had been investigating the strip club for prostitution, believed the three men had been armed, but no weapons were found after the shooting, which left Bell dead and his two friends severely injured.

Three of the five detectives involved in the controversial incident were put on trial for charges including manslaughter and assault, but they were all acquitted, and city officials eventually settled a civil suit with Bell's family for $7 million (£5.3 million).

Mitchell had originally been pitched the role of a detective, but upon reading the script, he asked to play Bell - and his wish was granted, reports TMZ.

He will serve as an executive producer on the movie, alongside Tru of TruVision Films, and the project has received the blessing of Bell's relatives, who have been closely involved in its development over the past three years.

Sean's father, William, has also been in regular contact with Mitchell since he boarded the movie.

Mitchell has been trying to rebuild his reputation after he was cut from the cast of hit drama series "The Chi" last year (19) amid misconduct allegations, which also cost him a part in Netflix movie "Desperados".

The actor, who denied any wrongdoing, was back in the headlines again in April following his arrest on felony drug and weapons charges, which his representative insisted was all one big "misunderstanding."