Amazon Studios
Riding the wave of her recently released studio album Good Morning Gorgeous and a show-stopping performance at Super Bowl LVI, Mary J. Blige is set to executive produce a Lifetime Movie inspired by one of her most iconic songs, “Real Love.”
“Mary is one of those phenomenal talents that can do it all, and we are so thrilled to be able to partner with her again on this new opportunity to bring her music to life in the form of a movie that we know audiences will love,” said Tanya Lopez, EVP Scripted Content, Lifetime and LMN.
Featured on the singer’s 1992 debut album, What’s the 411?, “Real Love” went certified gold just two months after its release.
“I wrote Real Love based on my real life experiences, and my fans connected to it in a deeply personal way,” Blige shared in a statement. “It’s exciting to now use this song and my music to create a new story by way of film, continuing to build on a pillar of the foundation of my production company, Blue Butterfly. My passions for acting and music now include developing diverse stories with music as the backdrop. I am grateful to Lifetime for their partnership in the story of Real Love.”
RELATED CONTENT: “‘Making Your Health A Priority Is Real Love’ : Mary J. Blige Puts Her Health First In Powerful Super Bowl Ad By Hologic”
The forthcoming film is described as a “coming-of-age romantic drama” wherein a “determined” young woman named Kendra goes off to college in upstate New York with plans to focus on her studies.
“But when she meets her film class partner Ben, she tries her hardest to keep things professional. Despite disapproving parents, financial hardship, and competition for the top spot in class, Kendra and Ben find themselves falling hard for each other and ultimately learn the meaning of real love,” the press release detailed.
RELATED CONTENT: “‘Price Just Went Up!’: Mary J. Blige and Method Man Snag Second NAACP Image Award”
In terms of Blige’s history with Lifetime, the multi-hyphenate joined forces with Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott to executive produce 2020’s The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel.
Blige starred in her first movie role as Dr. Betty Shabazz in Lifetime’s civil rights biopic Betty & Coretta, alongside Angela Bassett.
Real Love — set to be distributed via Sony Pictures Television — trails last year’s acclaimed Amazon Prime Video documentary Mary J. Blige’s My Life, which the multi-hyphenate also executively produced to record-breaking success.
Other executive producers for Real Love are Ashaunna Ayars and Nicole Jackson, via Blidge’s Blue Butterfly, and Jordan and John Davis of Davis Entertainment. The writers slated to work on the project are Sonja Warfield and Rachel Ingram.
Details note that “additional music from Blige will be incorporated throughout the movie,” so we’re excited to hear what’s in store.
More importantly, who would you like to see cast in the forthcoming romantic drama?
RELATED CONTENT: “What’s Next?: Mary J. Blige Has A Memoir And An Album Produced By Dr. Dre In The Works”
