Don’t be fooled by the title. There’s no peace in Rob Peace.
Written and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rob Peace is based on the 2014 biography by Jeff Hobbs entitled, The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League. The film tells the story of Robert Peace (Jay Will), who grew up in an impoverished section of Newark, New Jersey, and later graduated from Yale University on scholarship. Peace led a dual life in academia, earning degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, while also selling marijuana to aid his father (Ejiofor) who he believed was unjustly imprisoned for murder.
In ET’s exclusive look at the trailer for Rob Peace, the heartbreaking true story of Peace is told for the big screen in a big way.
The trailer begins with an almost 7-year-old Peace showing off his impressive math skills to his father, Robert “Skeet” Douglas. By the time he was just 3 years old, Peace was known at daycare as “The Professor,” for his vivid, searching mind, according to Yale Alumni Magazine.
“That was the last day I remember being a child,” Will narrates as his character, Peace.
The trailer then cuts to Skeet being arrested and convicted of a double homicide and sentenced to life in prison after gunshots are heard. However, Skeet claims he’s innocent. In the aftermath, Peace’s mother, Jackie Peace (Mary J. Blige), insists Peace go to college and “keep being brilliant.”
Peace does just that. He’s accepted into Yale. But it’s never that simple. Peace isn’t able to fully focus on his studies because his father continuously asks him for help. He sells marijuana to raise money for Skeet, and is consequently pulled into an illegal and dangerous drug culture.
“God help me, I love that man. But, he will watch you burn to the ground trying to get him out,” Blige yells as her character, Jackie.
“You’re pulled between this place and home,” says Camila Cabello as Peace’s love interest, Naya Vazquez.
Can Peace escape the demons of his past?
“I’m not proud of all the choices I made,” he says. “Was I prepared to risk everything?”
Following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival 2024, Republic Pictures confirmed theatrical distribution in North America for Rob Peace.
Rob Peace stars Will, Ejiofor, Cabello, and Blige, who also executive produces alongside Morgan Earnest, Luke Rodgers, Jeff Skoll, Robert Kessel, Bruce Evans and Jamin O’Brien. Also starring is Curt Morlaye, Caleb Eberhardt, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Michael Kelly and Mare Winningham.
“I’m thrilled to partner with Republic Pictures in bringing this extraordinary story to audiences,” Ejiofor said in a statement. “Jeff Hobbs’ powerful book on Rob’s life fused together essential thoughts for me on race, housing, education, criminal justice, family and community. I can’t wait for audiences to experience Rob’s truly compelling life onscreen, at a time when the complex nature of social mobility remains as important as ever.”
The film is produced by Antoine Fuqua, Rebecca Hobbs, Kat Samick, Andrea Calderwood, Jeffrey Soros, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet and Simon Horsman.
“Republic Pictures is committed to providing a platform for films with the potential to stir conversation and impact culture,” said Dan Cohen, president of Republic Pictures, in a statement. “We are incredibly proud to work with Chiwetel Ejiofor and this esteemed producing team to support such an important project.”
Rob Peace will debut in theaters on Friday, Aug. 16.
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