Trailer Watch: Biggie Takes the Stage in Notorious

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on September 23, 2008

Jamal Woolard as Notorious BIG

If I could go back in time and have a few words with Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace, or Biggie Smalls to his friends, I would have told him that like him, I too love it when they call me Big Poppa. I would have also told him to wear some sort of bullet-proof vest on March 9, 1997. Something that, as history shows us, would have saved his life. Sadly, that did not happen — and now Fox Searchlight is bringing Biggie back with the upcoming biopic Notorious. Check out the first trailer for the film in question below.

As a pasty white kid from the suburbs, I don’t claim to know a lot about the world of hip hop, but I do know that this man was important to a lot of people, therefore this movie has the potential to be important to a lot of people. And based on the limited footage in this first teaser trailer, director George Tillman Jr. (Men of Honor) and company seem to be headed in the right direction.

Notorious, which hits theaters January 16, 2009, stars Jamal Woolard, Derek Luke, Anthony Mackie and Angela Bassett.


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  • David G
    WOw, big ups to Mr Miller for putting this out here.Ballsy. I personally am a fan of Biggie and am glad to see this.THough its late in coming, I def believe it will at least make back the money it took to make it, much the same as "ATL" did for T.I.
  • Big Word
    I think that this will be a sleeper hit. I am a BBoy and LOVE Hip-Hop and when it came to emceeing, Biggie was arguably the illest-(definitely in the Top 5 to EVER pick up a mic)-& definitely a light snuffed too soon, similar to such talented artists as Jimi Hendrix & Jim Morrison. However, will this be a "media darling"? I am somewhat & sadly doubtful. The media, (generally speaking), tends to not know how to accept or handle movies made by or about black people. Either they try to piegeon hole it into a particular, cultural genre or they sometimes get it right, and just accept it for what it is and [mainly] judge it on its morals alone. However, that is hardly the case and I have a feeling that the MTV generation, Gen-Xers, & alot of the pups coming up that have heard Biggie quoted, sampled, referenced in songs or actually heard one of his songs played on BET or a Top 40 station will most likely get behind this movie and hopefully, like ATL (as mentioned above), it will be a success that can stand on it's own two feet and also be able to cross over into other markets so that many people can truly see the depths of this poet, artist, & man. I'm looking forward to it!
  • Big Word
    P.S.-Thanx FSR for getting behind this early and helping spread the word. Much like Biggie, ya'll are a grassroots up kind of people and that is the way it should be done! Keep up the good work-ya'll have already put me on to some other independents and lesser heard of flicks like "The Wackness" (ah, to be in highschool again & I love that Method Man/Biggie joint "The What?!" btw!) & for that I am grateful! Props all around!
  • It's true - Neil does love it when people call him Big Poppa.

    It's also true that this looks awesome. I don't think it'll be a sleeper, though. Biggie's Life After Death was certified Diamond. Diamond, people. That's 10 million records sold for one album - 5 times more than Double Platinum. He's a cultural icon with a built in audience.

    Plus, Fox Searchlight is probably the best possible company to handle a film like this. They can actually propel indie films into the mainstream really well.
  • djp
    Tupac in this?
  • barbrah
    For those who knew Biggie, I'm sure this is a dream come true...seeing him bigger than life, again, I can't help but think - will it only draw the 'hip hop' fans and those who followed him closely throughout his career and those who don't have to fill in the blanks while watching the movie?
    For someone like myself who only know his 'name' and may have heard the cuts from time to time - will I walk away from the theatre feeling like I finally know a little about who he was?
    I'm hoping that this movie will bring to life the person Biggie was and to make sure there isn't any 'fill - in - the - space' moments. I really hope this movie is 'chart worthy' not only because it's a black film but because, obviously, Biggie was worth making a movie about. I would have loved to see more of a trailer though, I couldn't get a sense of what it's about.
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