Not only is New Edition’s three-night, BET mini-series in the works, but an album may accompany it!
According to member Johnny Gill, there are talks within the group to make new music in conjunction with the release of the biopic, which is set for 2017. He told Billboard, “I have put aside some songs already for New Edition.” He continued, “We’re gonna try to have the album ready to go by the time the movie’s out, by 2017 when the movie drops. I’m making plans to start the recording process with that as well.”
The biopic is currently in the casting stages, with “Empire” star Bryshere Gray and singer Luke James rumored to have already signed on. Official casting announcements have not yet been released.
About the film and its casting, Gill says, “I was just disappointed that Denzel [Washington] wasn’t available to play me,” Gill jokes. “I just want somebody who can capture the essence of me, and I think that’s important for all of us in the movie. That’s going to be the most important thing in telling this story is that these actors capture the essence of who we are. We’re hands-on involved as well. We have to spend time with them. They’re going to spend time with us for a week or two and kinda just get to know us and our personalities and get insight and stuff like that. It’s going to be interesting when it all comes together, but everybody’s gonna get a chance to tell and see what our story’s like. We can’t wait.”
Gill’s latest single “This One’s for Me and You” from his 2014 solo album Game Changer features the rest of the New Edition members (sans Bobby Brown).
If a new album arrives in 2017, it will be the first in thirteen years since 2004’s One Love.
