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‘New Edition’: Bobby Brown Movie Sizzles In True-Story Biopic, Plus Another New Edition Film

By Traciy Reyes
Published on: 01:07 PST, Jan 22, 2017

Get ready for The New Edition Story, the sensational New Edition movie that is set to debut on Black Entertainment Television (BET) in a three-part miniseries about the legendary R&B group on January 24. Longtime fans of New Edition have anticipated its premiere since it was announced that the biopic would air. The New Edition Story is directed by Chris Robinson and written by Abdul Williams with Brooke Payne and Ralph E. Tresvant listed as executive producers.

The true-story film stars Bryshere Y. Gray as Michael Bivins, Elijah Kelley as Ricardo Bell, Keith Powers as Ronnie DeVoe, Algee Smith as Ralph Tresvant, Luke James as Johnny Gill, La La Anthony as Flo DeVoe, Faizon Love as Maurice Starr, Woody McClain as Bobby Brown, Sandi McCree as Carole Brown, and Tyler Marcel Williams as Bobby Brown (ages 9-14), according to the Internet Movie Database.

Synopsis Of The New Edition Story On BET

According to TV Tango, the story of New Edition begins in 1978, when Bobby Brown comes up with the idea to form a music group in their poor Roxbury-Boston area neighborhood. Soon they begin performing their music at local talent shows before they are eventually discovered and put on the road to success.

But soon tensions build as Ralph Tresvant quickly emerges as the group’s leader since the spotlight always seems to fall on him. To cool things down, Ralph tries desperately to increase the other members’ visibility by getting them more singing parts.

Meanwhile, New Edition’s music is taking over the airwaves, and the teen pop singing sensation steals the hearts of America’s teens with their smash hits “Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,” and “Mr. Telephone Man.”

But as the group rises to success, they soon learn that success comes at a price. Before long, Bobby Brown becomes a source of stress in the group due to his chaotic and often eruptive behavior, forcing New Edition members to kick him out of the group. This turns out to be a devastating move because the group will never be the same again.

Despite Bobby Brown’s departure from the group, he becomes bigger than life with his sexy-on-stage gyrations and his catchy songs, “My Prerogative,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Every Little Step,” which electrify audiences. However, while he enjoys success in his music career, details of the hot-tempered singer’s personal life and brushes with the law fill the pages of many tabloids and music magazines, forever branding him as the “bad boy” of music.

By 1990, it seems like the group New Edition no longer exists. Ralph Tresvant embarks on a solo career while Ron DeVoe goes on to form the group Bell, Biv, Devoe with New Edition band members Ricky Bell and Michael Bivins. The collaboration is a success and the hot 90s group become known for their hits “Poison,” “Do Me!,” and “When Will I See You Smile Again?”

Johnny Gill, who is added to replace Ralph Tresvant, begins swooning female audiences with his own music.

As a group, New Edition has been through it all, namely, the lawsuits, the disputes over money, and the personal battles among group members. And at times, the small rifts and hidden jealousies among them threatened to tear the group apart forever. But in the end, the bond between them could never be completely broken.

As for the character depicted in the movie as Maurice Brown, Ralph Tresvant gives more info about what his true role, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“People think Maurice managed us, but he never did. He helped get us our first break. He was a producer and a songwriter. He did our first album (New Edition)–and that was it. Starr and New Edition severed ties in 1983, and Tresvant insists he wasn’t really missed. It was tougher for the group to figure out how to get along without Bobby Brown, who left in 1986.”

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154968588474359&set=a.418124409358.208454.516369358&type=3&permPage=1

Did You Know There Was Another New Edition Movie In The Works

  • In our research for this story, we happened upon another trailer for a New Edition movie (NE Heartbreak). It was confusing because it didn’t look like the same trailer, and the actors were all different.
  • In fact, that story was written and directed by Bobby Huntley, and it looks like they had been researching the story and preparing to release a New Edition movie for many years. Money seems to have been a factor as to why it wasn’t released sooner. Still, it isn’t clear if it is actually going to be released.
  • Here is the trailer. It is awesome, and it appears to be based more on the Bobby Brown story. Take a look at it below. Of course, for fans of New Edition there could never be too many movies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdfuLPohXP0

As for The New Edition Story, BET’s 2017 movie, it will resonate with fans and will make them remember a time when just hearing New Editions’ songs made their hearts skip a beat. Don’t miss it. It airs January 24, 25, and 26, at 9/8 p.m. Central on BET.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P2LdH9P_x0

[Featured Image by BET]

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