Before the famous O.J. Simpson murder case of 1994, Simpson's lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, made a name for himself with the Signal Hill police brutality case of 1981 -- for which Anthony Mackie ("Captain America: Civil War") is now set to portray Cochran's efforts, in an untitled film from David McMillan, a staff writer on "Lucifer."

According to Deadline, the Cochran movie will follow the famed lawyer's work in the Signal Hill case, prior to his involvement with celebrities like Simpson, Michael Jackson and Jim Brown. It will focus on "his rise to fame as an advocate for blacks suffering in police brutality cases," which caught national attention with the Signal Hill case.

The Signal Hill case ignited after football plater Ron Settles -- who was arrested for speeding -- was found hanged in his cell. While the police called it a suicide, an exhumation of the body revealed that Cochran had been choked to death.

Mackie, Jason Spire, Robbie Brenner, Kevin McKeon and Jeff Kwatinez are producing the project, which will be executive produced by McMillan.