Getty EXCLUSIVE: Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) and Jonnie “Dumbfoundead” Park (Raya and the Last Dragon) have joined the cast of K-Pops!, a film directed by Anderson .Paak, the eight-time Grammy winner. Stampede Ventures is producing the film, and they have secured an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA. Live Nation Productions, a new strategic partner, has made an equity investment in the production. Production is set to begin on October 30 in Los Angeles, with additional filming in Korea and AlUla, Saudi Arabia.
In the film, a washed-up musician from Los Angeles joins a K-Pop competition show in Seoul to revive his career. He discovers that his long-lost son has the opportunity to become a frontman for a popular K-Pop group. The musician sees this as a chance to revitalize his career but learns that being a father is more fulfilling and meaningful. The script was written by .Paak and Khaila Amazan.
Stampede Ventures will produce the film, along with EST Studios and Big Dummie. .Paak will also be involved through his company APESHIT Films. Live Nation Productions and EST Studios are executive producers. Tadross, a former Paramount executive, will lead the film’s physical production. WME Independent is handling sales.
Ryan Kroft, Head of Production & Development at Live Nation Productions, expressed excitement about supporting .Paak’s directorial debut. Chris Bosco, President of Stampede Ventures, praised K-POPS! as an example of their comprehensive approach to franchising a brand beyond just the movie.
Yvette Nicole Brown is best known for her role in Community and has appeared in recent projects such as Disenchanted and My Dad the Bounty Hunter. Jonnie Park is an actor, rapper, and voice actor who has worked on projects like Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon and Comedy Central’s Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens.
Stampede Ventures has produced recent films like The Saint of Second Chances, Ordinary Angels, and Space Cadet. The Live Nation deal was negotiated by various parties including Full Stop Management, Live Nation Productions, Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, and Stampede Ventures. Yvette Nicole Brown is represented by Innovative Artists and Marcia Hurwitz Management & Consulting. Jonnie Park is represented by WME, Art/Work Entertainment, and Ziffren Brittenham.
