Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan makes her feature directorial debut with the upcoming original Paramount+ film, On The Come Up. The official trailer and key art were released and debuted during MTV VMA’s broadcast. Watch the trailer below.

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The film is based on the New York Times’ number one best-selling novel by Angie Thomas. Thomas, who also wrote “The Hate U Give, is a former teen rapper who turned her love for writing into a career in storytelling. She also holds a BFA in creative writing from Belhaven University.

On The Come Up will hold its world premiere at the 47th annual Toronto International Film Festival is scheduled to be held from September 8 to 18, 2022.

The movie stars newcomer Jamila C. Gray and follows the story of her character, Bri, a 16-year-old gifted rapper, who attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to lift up her family and do right by the legacy of her father – a local hip hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence. However, when her first hit song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, she finds herself torn between the authenticity that got her this far and the false persona that the industry wants to impose upon her.

The coming-of-age film also stars Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Mike Epps, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Justin Martin, Titus Makin, Michael Cooper Jr., GaTa, Sanaa Lathan, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, and Lady London.

 On The Come Up is a State Street Pictures and Temple Hill production directed by Sanaa Lathan, and written by Kay Oyegun. The film is produced by George Tillman, Jr., Robert Teitel, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Isaac Klausner, Angie Thomas, and Timothy M. Bourne and executive produced by John Fischer.

Sanaa Lathan is the next Black actress to transition from the big screen to the director’s chair. In 2020, Regina King made her directorial debut with the hit movie One Night in Miami.

 Lathan’s On The Come Up will exclusively premiere on Paramount+ on Friday, Sept. 23 in the U.S., Canada, Italy, and later in the year in additional international territories.

Check out the official trailer below:

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