Pharrell had one of the year’s most notable movies with Piece By Piece, a biopic animated in the style of Lego. He’s not finished telling his story through film yet: It was just revealed he’s teaming up with Michel Gondry on Golden, a movie set for 2025 that was inspired by his childhood.
The cast is led by Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Halle Bailey. Bailey isn’t the only noteworthy musician in the movie, as the film also features Janelle Monáe, Anderson. Paak, and Missy Elliott. The cast is rounded out by Da’vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, and Quinta Brunson.
Of the movie, Pharrell tells Empire:
“Piece By Piece is about my life, whereas Golden is about a neighborhood that I grew up in. This is very different. It’s a musical expedition, set in the summer of 1977 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with the spirit of the music [of that time]. You know how in Dirty Dancing and Grease, the music was almost a character? That’s what it’s like in this film. It’s a coming-of-age story about self-discovery and pursuing your dreams, but it’s so much more magical than that. It’s a celebration of Black life, Black culture, and most importantly, Black joy.”
The film was originally titled Atlantis, after the housing development where Pharrell grew up. Of the name change, Pharrell explains, “It just speaks to the narrative, the area, the energy and literally everything about [the film, which is] this analysis of what being ‘golden’ is. Children and grown-ups with inner children within them can connect to it and realize that there’s a golden aspect to them too, whether it’s realized or latent.”