Taylor has cast two of the stars of his hit 2011 film in his latest project about the legendary soul singer, to be played by Chadwick Boseman, reported Deadline.
Davis is expected to play the late star's mother Susie Brown, who gave birth to James at just 16 and abandoned her child, leaving him with relatives.
Meanwhile, Spencer will play the star's aunt, Honey, who helped raise him.
Davis, Spencer and co-star Jessica Chastain all earned Oscar nominations for their roles in the critically acclaimed "The Help", with Spencer going on to win Best Supporting Actress, as well as a BAFTA for her portrayal of maid Minny Jackson.
Rocker Mick Jagger is on board as a producer through his Jagged Films production company. Imagine Entertainment will also handle production.
The script was penned by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Steven Baigelman.
Lead actor Boseman recently portrayed legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson in Warner Bros.' biopic '42'.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
