‘Wildfire’: Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Joins Upcoming Thriller!!

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is set to join Wildfire, a film written by Chaya Doswell that follows the story of a 7-year-old mute from an abusive home. The Doswell screenplay, which recently made the Black List, was acquired by Oscar and Emmy-nominated producer David Permut, alongside producer Dawn Krantz.

Deadline reports that five-time Emmy nominee and Grammy award-winning producer Randy Jackson will come board the Wildfire train as co-producer. Jackson has expressed his excitement about working with Michaela on Wildfire. The award-winning producer, who praised Rodriguez’s talent, noted that she is immensely talented: “I’m so excited to be working with Michaela on this amazing project. Michaela is one of the superstars of now and the future.”

Rodriguez became the first trans person to win a lead category award in the history of the Golden Globes when she won the Best TV Actress Drama for Ryan Murphy’s Pose in 2022. She will also be voicing the character of Nightbird in this summer’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. The actress is also set to begin filming the second season of Apple’s comedy Loot this month.

Wildfire will follow the story of a young girl, Lu, who accidentally starts a wildfire after she tricks Merribelle, a hardworking trans woman, into kidnapping her from an abusive home. Wildfire promises to keep audiences intrigued from the start, especially with the expectation of the bond that will form between Merribelle and Lu. With a captivating synopsis like this, it is no wonder Wildfire got featured on the Black List, an organization that celebrates the most liked screenplays read by film executives, that haven’t been picked up by a producer, or a studio, or just won’t begin principal photography for the foreseeable future. Doswell‘s most recent film was an adaptation of her play Everyone I Love is Dead. Doswell is also writing a fantasy adventure film, Carlos Luckybo with two-time Oscar winner Rick Carter.

Wildfire might not be hitting screens any time soon as producers Permut and Krantz are busy with ongoing projects. Permut is currently producing Taylor Sheridan’s new series Bass Reeves starring Jonathan Dayton and David Oyelowo. He also has Apple’s upcoming Being Heumann, written and directed by Oscar winner Sian Heder, and the sequel to his film Face/Off at Paramount. Krantz is also currently producing Keeper of the Cup starring Mena Massoud, Dan Aykroyd, and Abigail Breslin.