Paramount buys Lee Daniels's film The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Paramount has bought Lee Daniel's first film in over a decade. Titled The United States vs. Billie Holiday, the film is the story of the Federal department targetting the jazz legend Billie Holiday with a sting operation to stop her from singing the controversial song, Strange Fruit. 

According to the press statement obtained by Variety, the song was a call to action that would herald the modern civil rights movement.

Grammy winner Andra Day will be playing Billie Holiday in the film, which also stars Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund, and Natasha Lyonne in supporting roles. 

Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, who has won the Pulitzer, has penned the script, which is based on the book Chasing The Scream: The First & Last Days  Of The War On Drugs by Johann Hari. 

The film is produced by New Slate Ventures, Lee Daniels Entertainment, Roth Kirschenbaum Films, Jordan Fudge, Lee Daniels, Pamela Oas Williams, Tucker Tooley, Joe Roth, and Jeff Kirschenbaum.