Family of George Floyd authorise biopic Daddy Changed the World

The life of George Floyd will be dramatised for the big screen in a family authorised biopic to be produced by Radar Pictures, 8 Queens Film & Media Production and Night Fox Entertainment.

News of the film arrives just days before the fourth anniversary of Floyd’s murder on 25 May 2020 by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who detained Floyd for allegedly carrying a counterfeit $20 bill and knelt on his neck for approximately nine minutes, despite Floyd saying repeatedly that he could not breathe.

Video of Floyd’s death went viral, sparking an international movement for racial justice under the Black Lives Matter banner.

George Floyd was 46-year-old when he was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer during the covid pandemic. His death sparked national and international Black Lives Matter protests and anti police brutality movements.

The teenager who recorded and shared the video of George Floyd's murder, Darnella Frazier, was awarded a Pulitzer Prize special citation for her bravery in reporting the death.

Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in April 2021 and sentenced to 22.5 years in prison. Three other officers present at the scene were convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights.

The project will reportedly not be a straightforward biopic, but rather a “gritty drama of a man and his community thrust into the fiery light of history”.

“We are excited the world will see the real, jovial and loving George we know,” said Washington, Floyd’s mother, in a statement to Deadline. “This film will humanize him, embody the essence of his life, and hopefully reignite efforts to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It’s time for justice and equality for all.