Don Cheadle to Adapt Story of Wall Street's First Black Millionaire
Don Cheadle will reunite with Miles Ahead scribe Steven Baigelman as he plans to star in and produce the adaptation of Shane White's biography Prince of Darkness – the story of Wall Street’s first black millionaire.
Cheadle acquired the rights to the award-winning novel which he plans to adapt along with Baigelman, who penned Miles Ahead, the Miles Davis biopic directed and staring Cheadle.
As The Hollywood Reporter states, Prince of Darkness: The Untold Story of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, Wall Street’s First Black Millionaire sheds light on the obscure story of Hamilton, who was mentioned in an obituary for Cornelius Vanderbilt as the tycoon’s true rival. White’s book details the rise of Hamilton as he is chased out of Haiti and becomes a broker and land agent in 19th century New York, his success prickling both white and black society. He broke many taboos of the times, including marrying a white woman and owning stock in rail companies on whose trains he wasn’t legally allowed to ride. When Hamilton died, obits at the time called him the richest black man in America.
Cheadle is best known for playing Colonel James Rhodes aka War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
