March 1 (UPI) -- Tyrese Gibson has signed on to portray late R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass in an upcoming biopic from Warner Bros.
Gibson will also be producing the film through his Voltron Pictures banner alongside Empire co-creator Lee Daniels and Donald De Line through De Line Pictures. Pendergrass' widow Joan Pendergrass is executive producing.
Warner Bros., who has acquired the life rights to Pendergrass, has tapped Little Marvin to pen the script. Marvin is the creator behind Amazon's upcoming event series Them.
"I am honored to take this journey... this is the role that I feel I was born to play," Gibson said in a statement. "Teddy Pendergrass embraced me and before he passed put the responsibility on my shoulders to tell his story. Being here in this time and in this space and moment with Lee Daniels, Donald De Line, Little Marvin and Warner Bros. is an answered prayer. Teddy, I just hope we make you, your wife and family proud... Here we go!!"
Pendergrass started his career as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes in the 1970s. He then started a successful solo career releasing four consecutive platinum albums. Pendergrass is best known for his hit songs "Close the Door" and "If You Don't Know Me By Now."
Pendergrass was left paralyzed from the waist down after a 1982 car crash. He famously learned how to sing again and performed at the historic Live Aid concert in London in 1985.
Pendergrass died at the age of 59 in January 2010 due to complications from colon cancer surgery.