FAMU graduate, Hollywood producer Will Packer launches a Friday night film series on campus

Florida A&M University is giving the Tallahassee community a reason to eat some popcorn every Friday night this month.

FAMU alumnus and acclaimed Hollywood producer Will Packer is launching the “Friday Night Movies On The Yard” series on campus this April, where special screenings will be held in the Will Packer Performing Arts Amphitheater for students, faculty and the local community.

Starting Friday, films produced by Will Packer Productions and backed by Universal Pictures — “Ride Along,” “Little,” “Straight Out of Compton” and “Girls Trip,” dubbed one of the most successful films — will be screened. The R-rated comedy of all time.

Shows will be free.

“My journey with filmmaking began here on this campus when I made my first film, Chocolate City,” Packer, a St. Petersburg native, said in a prepared statement. He graduated from the university in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

“I created these films to be watched on a big screen with the community, and I am thrilled to complete and curate this special shared experience at FAMU.”

More about Will Packer: Will Packer, one of FAMU’s most famous alumni, returns to the grandstand with his name on it

Throughout Packer’s career, he has produced or produced films that have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide at the box office. He is also the founder and CEO of Will Packer Productions and Will Packer Media, and has had 10 #1 films.

The $2 million Performing Arts Amphitheater — an outdoor venue on FAMU’s campus — was named in Packer’s honor in 2021 after plans had been in the works to revive the initiative since 2019.

Packer provided the university with $500,000 to complete the amphitheater while a $1.5 million grant came from the Knight Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds journalism, arts and culture initiatives in various communities.

“Florida A&M University welcomes the first film series of its kind to the Will Packer Theater for the Performing Arts,” FAMU President Larry Robinson said in a university statement. “This series is another thoughtful way for our students, faculty and staff to welcome the community to participate and enjoy our wonderful campus.”

FAMU Coliseum is located at 1675 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Just south of Lee Hall, each movie throughout the series will begin at 8 p.m. while seating will begin at 7 p.m

Schedule of the series “Friday Night Movies in the Yard”:

• April 5, “Ride Along” – An Atlanta cop offers to take his sister’s boyfriend, an Atlanta security guard, on a police trip to test his law enforcement skills; Featuring Kevin Hart, Ice Cube.

• April 12 “Little” – A rich woman who torments her employees while working in the tech industry turns into a 13-year-old version of herself and is forced to rely heavily on her underappreciated assistant; Featuring Marsai Martin, Issa Rae, Regina Hall.

• April 19 “Girls Trip” – Four best friends turn a work vacation in New Orleans into a girl’s trip that brings out their wild sides; Featuring Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish.

• April 26, “Straight Outta Compton” – A pioneering new group of West Coast rappers, N.W.A., changing and influencing hip-hop with their 1988 debut studio album that depicted what life is like in South Los Angeles; Featuring O’Shea Jackson Jr., Jason Mitchell, and Corey Hawkins.

Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her at: @tarahjean_.

This article originally appeared on the Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU alum, producer Will Packer launches Friday Night Movies series