Fela biopic 'will go on' without Ejiofor, McQueen

As the popularity of British-Nigerian actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor and director Steve McQueen keeps shooting up - courtesy of 12 Years A Slave - a proposed Fela biopic has become the first casualty of the duo’s new status.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ejiofor has confirmed that he and MacQueen have “dropped out” of the project.

The African music legend, Fela Kuti.

Indeed, it has to do with the demands of the two. Perhaps, what I think sounds like ego that comes with some rising profiles. “They didn’t have the money. It’s just one of those things that happens in this business,” McQueen also told The Hollywood Reporter.

Is Ejiofor saying 'C'mon, I am too big now to play a Fela Kuti'?

But the producer, Lydia Dean Pilcher has asured that the Fela film will go on without Ejiofor and MacQueen.

Dean Pilcher has been quoted as saying that the film will move forward: “James Schamus is doing a revise now. Steve may get a writing credit at the end of the day, or he might not.”

MacQueen has been credited with the development of the biopic several years ago.

And when McQueen dropped out as director, he was said to have been replaced by Nigerian, Andrew Dosunmu.