Who Wants to Play the Notorious B.I.G.?

Way, way back in July of 2005, we posted about Biggie Smalls getting his own feature biopic. Voletta Wallace, his mother, was producing, Cheo Hodari Coker was writing the script and Antoine Fuqua was in talks to direct. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the director wasn't sure about the project because of the amount of control the producers were having in the script -- Wallace, as well as former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts. Now Antoine is out, and Men of Honor helmer George Tillman is in.

And that's not all -- they're gearing up to hunt for an unknown to star. Starting this Sunday at 3 am EDT, hopefuls can submit audition videos to Fox Searchlight and Biggie Casting. Barrow says: "As it relates to the individual Christopher Wallace -- his looks, his stature, what he represented, the swagger, the sensibility of the man -- all those elements are very difficult to find, no matter where you go. In the typical Hollywood world, no one came to mind outside of Forest Whitaker who could capture that essence genuinely." Yeah, he's a bit too old -- being in his mid-40's -- since Smalls was killed at the age of 24. So instead, some lucky person out there is going to take on the part.

They're really pushing the real person or "humanity within" Notorious B.I.G. -- and it's obviously a passion project for the film's producers. Now, only time will tell if they're a little too involved, like Fuqua suggests. It's great to get the inner view from trusted people close to the rapper, but do you think they're too close to translate the story to the big screen?