One of the biggest, most boisterous icons during the blaxploitation era of cinema in the 1970s was Rudy Ray Moore and his hard-hitting action hero Dolemite. The standup comedian-turned-movie star is now the subject of Netflix's latest original film Dolemite Is My Name, starring Eddie Murphy as Moore.
Featuring a star-studded cast including Snoop Dogg, Wesley Snipes and Titus Burress, the upcoming biopic has released its first trailer, which shows Moore as an aspiring entertainer who creates the blaxploitation hero Dolemite as part of his comedy routine.
"If I get up in that light with my own movie, I could be everywhere all at once," Moore says in the trailer. "Let's bring Dolemite to the screen."
As the middle-aged comedian presents Dolemite as an unlikely kung fu action hero, the trailer shows Moore become a bonafide blaxploitation phenomenon.
Directed by Craig Brewer from a script written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszwewski, Dolemite Is My Name stars Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Titus Burress, Wesley Snipes, Tip "T.I." Harris, Chris Rock, Ron Cephas Jones, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Snoop Dogg. The film arrives on Netflix and in select theaters this fall.