<P> In March 2009, it was announced that the film was in development at New Line Cinema, with S. Leigh Savidge and Alan Wenkus writing, and Tomica Woods - Wright, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre set to produce the film . In May 2010, it was announced Andrea Berloff would write a draft of the screenplay . In September 2011, John Singleton told The Playlist that he was in talks to direct the film, saying: "I can't talk about it too prematurely about the stuff I'm doing because nothing's come to fruition yet, but Cube and I are talking about doing the N.W.A. story . The script is really, really good, and so we're just figuring it out . New Line really wants to make it ." Also in September 2011, F. Gary Gray, Craig Brewer, and Peter Berg were reportedly in talks to direct the film . In April 2012, F. Gary Gray was selected as director . Gray had worked with Ice Cube in the film Friday and Dr. Dre in the film Set It Off . He has also directed some of their music videos . By 2013, the film was picked up by Universal Studios, who, in December 2013, hired Jonathan Herman to write a new draft of the script and brought in Will Packer to executive produce, alongside Adam Merims, Alan Wenkus David Engel, Bill Straus, Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni . </P> <P> Casting calls began in the middle of 2010 . There had been rumors of Lil Eazy - E playing his late father Eazy - E, and Ice Cube's son and fellow rapper O'Shea Jackson Jr. playing his father as well . Ice Cube said of the movie, "We're taking it to the nooks and crannies, I think deeper than any other article or documentary on the group," he said . "These are the intimate conversations that helped forge N.W.A. To me, I think it's interesting to anybody who loves that era and I don't know any other movie where you can mix Gangster Rap, the F.B.I., L.A. Riots, HIV, and fucking feuding with each other . This movie has everything from Daryl Gates and the battering ram ." </P> <P> On February 21, 2014, director Gray announced a March 9, 2014 open casting call for the film in Gardena, California, via his Twitter account . There were also open casting calls in Atlanta and Chicago . Rapper YG auditioned to play MC Ren in the film . The project was scheduled to start filming in April 2014 but was pushed back due to casting delays . </P> <P> On June 18, 2014, Universal officially announced that the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton would be released theatrically on August 14, 2015 . It was also confirmed that Ice Cube's son, O'Shea Jackson Jr., would play a younger version of his father in the film . O'Shea Jr. joined Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins, who portrayed group members Eazy - E and Dr. Dre, respectively . In early July 2014, casting directors for the film issued a casting call for extras and vintage cars in the Los Angeles area . The casting call release stated that filming would begin in August 2014 . In July 2014, it was confirmed Aldis Hodge would portray MC Ren and Neil Brown Jr. would play DJ Yella . On August 15, 2014, Paul Giamatti joined the cast to play N.W.A's manager Jerry Heller . On August 26, 2014, Keith Stanfield joined the cast to play Snoop Dogg . </P>

Did the actors in straight outta compton rap