‘Roots’ Remake Lands The Roots’ Questlove as Executive Music Producer

A+E Networks’ remake of miniseries Roots has an executive music producer and two directors attached to the project.

Questlove, the drummer and multi-instrumentalist from the Grammy-winning band The Roots, will produce the authentic African sounds and themes for characters.

Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, Salt) and Emmy-winner Thomas Carter (Coach Carter, Equal Justice) will direct nights one and three, respectively, of the four-night, eight-hour scripted event series.

The network previously announced that Laurence Fishburne will play the role of author Alex Haley, a part played by James Earl Jones in the original.

Roots, a remake of the landmark 1977 miniseries set to premiere next year, paints a historical portrait of American slavery within a family. An A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization, the miniseries is executive produced by Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Mark Wolper, Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal.