Things are about to get a lot more fly over at Sony. The studio has secured the rights to the 1972 classic blaxploitation film Super Fly and they're currently in the early stages of getting a remake off the ground. The studio has hired Alex Tse, best known for writing the big screen adaptation of Watchmen for Zack Snyder, to pen the screenplay for the remake. It sounds like Sony is pretty aggressively trying to get this movie made, as they're reportedly already putting together a list of actors for the lead role.

In case you aren't familiar, the original Super Fly centers on a character named Priest (Ron O'Neal). A suave top-rung New York City drug dealer decides that he wants to get out of his dangerous trade. Working with his reluctant friend, Eddie (Carl Lee), Priest devises a scheme that will allow him to make a big deal and then retire. When a desperate street dealer informs the police of Priest's activities, Priest is forced into an uncomfortable arrangement with corrupt narcotics officers. Setting his plan in motion, he aims to both leave the business and stick it to the man.

The original movie was directed by Gordon Parks Jr. His father, Gordon Parks, is famous for directing the original Shaft in 1970. Super Fly was a big hit, but many African-Americans were displeased with the images and how they were portrayed in the movie. That could make doing a modern remake a bit tricky, as Sony and Alex Tse will have to walk a fine line between honoring the original and not coming off as culturally insensitive. As successful as Super Fly was, the soundtrack, composed by the legendary Curtis Mayfield, actually went on to become the only soundtrack to ever outgross its movie's earnings.

A sequel, Super Fly T.N.T., was released a year later in 1973 and saw Ron O'Neal reprise his role as Priest, in addition to directing the movie. Years later, a much less popular third entry, The Return of Supefly, was released in 1990. Sony reportedly hopes that this remake of Super Fly could be like its predecessor and spawn a series of sequels. As it stands, none of the actors who are being eyed for the role of Priest have been revealed.

As far as Alex Tse is concerned, he doesn't have a ton of screenwriter credits to his name, but he did write an early draft of the upcoming remake of The Crow, which is now at Sony as well. Variety's report doesn't make any mention of who may direct the Super Fly remake, but Joel Silver is set to produce. There's also no word on when we can expect to see the movie, but it does sound like it's in the early stages. The real question is, are we going to see the Cadillac Eldorado make a comeback?