Nick Cannon is making a movie to "empower women".
The 37-year-old star will direct, write, produce and appear in ‘She Ball’, a tale of women’s street basketball which will also feature Evan Ross, Chris Brown – who was convicted of assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 – Cedric the Entertainer and Rebecca De Mornay, as well as a host of real-life ball players from the WNBA, Ball Up, and the Basketball Beauties League, including Melody Rae Kandil, Jaliyah Manuel, and Tammy Brawner.
Nick, who will co-produce the film through his Ncredible Entertainment company, told Variety: "I’m very excited for this film. It’s something powerful for the culture, uplifting for the community, and the film’s main objective is to empower women! It’s going to be Ncredible!"
The former ‘America’s Got Talent’ host – who is also creating the soundtrack for the film along with Birdman – will play Avery Watts, who enlists the baddest women’s streetball league in town to help him save a community centre which he manages, as well as trying to raise his seven-year-old daughter.
Fellow producer Demetrius Spencer of One Media Worldwide has promised the movie will be something "special".
He said: "Basketball has always been a huge part of my life since I was kid.
"I always wanted to do a movie about the sport that had a feel of the classic urban films I grew up watching. Seeing the love of the game through women’s basketball, the power and incredible strength they deliver on and off the court, makes the movie even more special."
Ball Up, the entertainment studio behind the streetball league, will also produce the movie.
Production has already started on the project.