Film Music Reporter

It was announced today that BAFTA-nominated composer Christopher Gunning (La Vie en Rose, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Grace of Monaco) will come out of retirement to score the upcoming biographical drama The United States vs. Billie Holiday. The film is directed by Lee Daniels (Precious, The Butler, Empire) and stars Andra Day in the title role of Billie Holiday, alongside Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund and Natasha Lyonne. The movie is inspired by the 2015 New York Time bestseller Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs and will follow the jazz singer during her career as she is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation. Suzan-Lori Parks (Native Son) wrote the screenplay. Salaam Remi will serve as the project’s executive music producer. Daniels is also producing the production with Jordan Fudge, Pamela Oas Williams (Star) and Tucker Tooley (Den of Thieves, Hell Fest). The United States vs. Billie Holiday will begin production next month.