The H.E.R and Oprah Winfrey-produced HBCU drama Major is moving forward and now has a director. Per Deadline, Jamal Sims is set to direct the drama. Smith is known for his work on RuPaul's Drag Race, serving as a guest judge on the popular series. He's also worked on Disney's The Lion King 30th Anniversary production at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring Jennifer Hudson and Billy Eichner—a project that followed his Encanto: Love at the Hollywood Bowl special for Disney+.
His choreography credits for film include hits like Encanto, 13: The Musical, and Guy Ritchie’s live-action Aladdin, as well as Girls Trip, the Step Up series, Footloose, Hairspray, and 17 Again. Additionally, he served as both director and choreographer for the Paramount+ series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including Usher, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, and Outkast.
Lauren Ashley Smith has been tapped to pen the screenplay for the project, which is set against the backdrop of a fictional Atlanta-based HBCU. The narrative centers on a reserved ballet dancer from Los Angeles who defies her family's expectations by pausing her professional dance trajectory to pursue a degree. Upon her arrival, she enlists in the university's struggling majorette squad, navigating the hurdles of culture shock and her rigid classical training to help the team reclaim its status as a powerhouse.
The film was announced in 2024, and H.E.R. was believed to be starring in it. Along with H.E.R. and Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Carla Gardini, and Mara Jacobs will also serve as producers on the film, which will be produced in collaboration with 20th Century Fox.
