If you’ve had Howard Zinn‘s A People’s History of the United States on your must-read list for years, but have always been too lazy to actually open the book, good news: It’s coming to the big screen.
The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Zinn’s 1980 classic is being developed into a feature documentary, to be titled The People Speak. Matt Damon — who narrated the People’s History audiobook, as well as working a book reference into the Good Will Hunting script — is co-producing (and appearing in) the film.
Other confirmed participants include Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, David Strathairn, Marisa Tomei, John Legend, Kerry Washington, Sean Penn, Eddie Vedder, and Steve Earle.
The documentary is being filmed over the course of five shoots at the Cutler Majestic Theater in Boston. Four performances have already been finished, with a fifth scheduled for the spring. A summary of the book, courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, follows:
The book, first published in 1980, presents American history through a bottoms up approach, focusing on voices seldom heard in history books such as defiant Indians, mutinous soldiers, striking workers, and rebellious women.
No release date is given.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
