Omar Epps and Michael Ealy Teaming Up for Lionsgate Thriller ‘The Devil You Know’

Omar Epps and Michael Ealy (Credit: Deposit Photos)

Omar Epps and Michael Ealy will face off in the upcoming thriller The Devil You Know, about a man in trouble who lands in the crosshairs of a driven cop.

The two will star in and executive produce the feature from Lionsgate and Command Films, Lionsgate announced Wednesday.

The Devil You Know is an exploration of family, morality, and brotherhood. It challenges generational and cultural conditioning in an authentic way that leads back to protecting one’s humanity. I’m excited for audiences to experience this film for years to come,” Epps said in a statement.

Here’s the official description: “Marcus Cowans (Epps) – after a lifetime of trouble – finally has the chance to turn things around with the support of his loving family. But when Marcus discovers that one of his three brothers (Will Catlett) might be involved in a heinous crime, he finds himself not only at odds with his brother, but also in the crosshairs of a very driven cop (Ealy). As Marcus tries to do right, he finds himself spiraling into the dark place he and his family fought so hard for him to overcome.”

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The film is written and directed by Charles Murray (Luke Cage, Sons of Anarchy), which drew Ealy to the project.

“For me it always starts with what’s on the page,” said Ealy. “I’ve been positioning myself to work behind the camera so when Charles and I were discussing another project, he sent me this script. My connection to this family was immediate and I was intrigued, especially because I didn’t come from a big family. I wanted to be involved and after a few deeper conversations, it was apparent that my interest went beyond being in front of the camera. Thankfully Charles agreed.”

In addition to Ealy and Epps, the cast includes Will Catlett, Glynn Turman, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Theo Rossi, BJ Britt, Vaughn Hebron, Erica Tazel, Curtiss Cook, Keisha Epps, and Ashley Williams.

“I’ve lived with this idea for many years and seeing it come to life with this stellar cast and driven crew has been nothing short of a dream come true,” stated Murray.

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Lauren Bixby, VP of Co-Productions and Acquisitions at Lionsgate, said she looks forward to bringing the project to audiences.

“We’ve been wanting to work with Charles for a long time, and with The Devil You Know, he has made a riveting film, punctuated by Omar and Michael’s performances — they give the characters real emotional weight. We’re thrilled to be bringing the movie to audiences everywhere,” said Bixby.

The Devil You Know is produced by Murray and Marc Danon through their Command Films banner, alongside Roy Scott MacFarland, and Jackie J. Stone.

“The enthusiasm and support from Lionsgate has been phenomenal from the very beginning,” said Danon. “Command is focused on identifying partnerships that propel Black creators, and we saw immediate value in partnering with Lionsgate, who is like-minded in their efforts to maximize diverse groups.”

Kaycee Holcomb and Grace Duplissea negotiated the deal alongside Bixby on behalf of Lionsgate.