MUMBAI: Finally, Steven Spielberg is set to fulfill his longtime dream of bringing the life of legendary civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. to the silver screen.

Steven Spielberg, Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones will produce the first biography film authorised by King’s estate, it is learnt.

Spielberg's production company DreamWorks has won a long-running battle to acquire the rights to the late activist's intellectual property.

"In trying to tackle such an ambitious project, the question we had to ask ourselves is, why now? The answer lies in MLK’s own words: ‘all progress is precarious.’ With every step forward, new obstacles emerge and we must never forget that his life and his teachings continue to challenge us everyday to stand up to hatred and inequality," said DreamWorks Studios CEO and co-chairman Stacey Snider.

King had copyrighted his speeches, books and other works prior to his assassination in 1968. With the permission in hand, DreamWorks will now be able to use those speeches and other works to help in storytelling King’s life.

“We are all honoured that the King Estate has given us the opportunity to tell the story of these defining historic events,” Spielberg said adding, “We hope that the creative power of film and the impact of Dr. King’s life can combine to present a story of undeniable power that we can all be proud of.”

King, who was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 39, was a leading campaigner of equality for African-American citizens.

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