Will Packer Goes Streaming With Peacock's 'Praise This'

After earning over $1.4 billion at the box office, producer Will Packer s got into the streaming game with "Rent This."

Peacock's original marks the first time Packer produced a film that was not intended for cinemas. While the new cast plan may seem like a reaction to the success or failure of the theatrical business — or the kind of pivot that would come after a box office bombshell, which Packer has yet to suffer, by the way – that's not what's behind the strategy change.

"Malleable" is a word Packer found himself using quite often in reference to the current state of cinema.

"I had a lot of success with movies that were mid-budget theatrical hits," he tells variety over tea at the Mandarin Oriental in New York. “But there are some of my films that were successful in theaters five to 10 years ago and I don't think they would be as successful today because it's a different environment. It's good. The media are always changing. You have to be malleable and look at your ultimate goals."

So the prolific producer—whose eponymous production company has seen 10 films open the No. national level, including "Stomp the Yard" and the "Think Like a Man" and "Ride Along" franchises - is diversifying its portfolio.

"Within 12 months I had 'Beast', which is a movie theatrical; 'Praise This', which is a streaming movie; another streaming movie ['Dashing Through the Snow'], which will be released later this year on Disney+; and then I'm going into production hopefully this fall on a theatrical film," he says. "I have to be able to create them in different ways and I have to be able to think about my audience."

Considered a "cinematic musical event", the film Peacock stars Grammy-nominated Chlöe Bailey Awards, as Sam, an aspiring Los Angeles musician whose troublemaking ways lead her father to send her to live with relatives in Atlanta. With A-Town as a major hip-hop capital, this could be Sam's big break and a chance to collaborate with hitmakers like Ty (real megastar Quavo). Instead, Sam is forced to join her over-eager cousin Jess (a charming Anjelika Washington) and her struggling praise team (think the younger, cooler cousin of a gospel choir) for a competition. national championship. Can Sam lean in and let divine intervention lead her to the promised land of musical superstardom and a new spirituality?

Chloe Bailey as Sam in 'Praise This', directed by Tina Gordon. Jessica Miglio / Universal Pictu

Packer produced "Praise This" alongside frequent collaborator Tim Story (their fifth film after " Think Like a Man" and its sequel, as well as the "Ride Along" films), and reunited with writer-director Tina Gordon (after "Little" and "What Men Want"). The story comes from the writing team of Brandon Broussard, Hudson Obayuwana and Jana Savage – collectively known as Murder Ink – who are credited for the screenplay alongside Gordon. The star of the idea...