HBO's Tyson-eque Series “Da Brick” Casts “Attack the Block” Star John Boyega in Lead

Having played a South London street thug in one of the summer's sleeper hits, John Boyega is coming to America to play a Newark street thug.

Boyega has landed the lead role in the HBO series "Da Brick," reported Deadline. The new show aims to riff on Mike Tyson's rise to fame in much the same way that "Entourage" built on the experiences of a young Mark Wahlberg.

The idea for "Da Brick" (the nickname for Newark, NJ) actually came about when Tyson was making an appearance on "Entourage" and  told producer Doug Ellin they should do the same thing with his life story. Some time passed, some calls were made and suddenly Spike Lee was on board to serve as producer and director of the pilot.

Boyega has received raves for his work in "Attack the Block," about a gang of kids who stand up to an alien invasion, and earned the nickname "Little Denzel." With Boyega, Spike and Boyega in the mix, "Da Brick" appears to be in good shape.

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