Rumors have finally been confirmed that Forest Whitaker will direct and star in What a Wonderful World, the upcoming Louis Armstrong biopic. Principal photography is set to begin next summer in New Orleans.

From Paste Magazine:

Wonderful World will be Whitaker’s first directorial effort since the 2004’s First Daughter (the presidential-child themed movie with Katie Holmes, not the one with Mandy Moore). Whitaker’s other directing efforts include Hope Floats and Waiting to Exhale, virtually guaranteeing that whatever the outcome, What a Wonderful World will be his best-helmed film so far.

Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong died in 1971, suffering a heart attack after playing a show. He had this particularly heartfelt and candid comment to say shortly before his death: “I think I had a beautiful life. I didn’t wish for anything that I couldn’t get and I got pretty near everything I wanted because I worked for it.”

Next up in biopics and black stars … Marvin Gaye and Jesse L. Martin!