Spike Lee Wraps Principal Photography on Amazon Studios Feature “Chi-Raq”

Amazon Studios is backing Spike Lee feature “Chi-Raq” making it the first original feature from Amazon Studios.

Chi-Raq was filmed entirely on location in Chicago and gathered criticism from some local politicians, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel who expressed concerns about the movie’s title, worried that the film brands their city as a war zone.

“I’m honored to be part of the film that will launch Amazon Studios and to tell a story that is so important. Please don’t be fooled by the title of Chi-Raq, this new Spike Lee joint will be something very special. We have assembled a stellar cast,” said Lee, who wrote the script with Kevin Willmott.

There is no official release date for the movie, but The Hollywood Reporter reports that the film will have a December theatrical run in order to be eligible for awards and then will open on a wider scale in January. After initially opening in theaters, the film will then be made available pretty quickly to Amazon Prime subscribers for streaming, a model Amazon intends to follow for all of its film releases.