Spurred by a string of show business failures, struggling comedian Rudy Ray Moore (Academy Award nominee Eddie Murphy) has a flash of inspiration to take on an alter ego and become a celebrity. Borrowing from the street myths of 1970s Los Angeles, Moore becomes "Dolemite," a cane-wielding pimp and dirty joke master. However, his ambitions extend beyond selling bootleg records deemed too risqué for mainstream radio. Moore convinces a social justice-minded playwright (Keegan-Michael Key) to write a movie about his alter ego, complete with kung fu, car chases, and Mrs. Reed (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), a former backup singer who ends up becoming his unexpected comedic sidekick. Despite clashes with egomaniacal director Deville Martin (Wesley Snipes) and numerous production obstacles in the dilapidated Dunbar Hotel studio, Moore's Dolemite becomes a huge commercial success and a defining film of the blaxploitation era. Moore's seminal influence has been hailed by comedians and rappers over the decades, and Dolemite Is My Name is a hilarious celebration of a singular talent who created his own legend. Craig Brewer (Hustle and Bustle, Empire State Building) is the director; Emmy and Golden Globe winners Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood, American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson) are the screenwriters; Oscar and Golden Globe nominee John Davis (Bull Run, Joey), Golden Globe nominee John Fox (Joy) and Murphy form the production team; the film has an all-star supporting cast, including Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Snoop Dogg, Ron Peter Jones, Barry Shabaka Henry, Tip Te Harris, Lunell, Tasha Smith, and Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter (Black Panther) has joined as costume designer.