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Magic Johnson's work in film not only includes his work as a theater owner but he also has produced films. Johnson's first film was 'Brown Sugar.'

Magic Johnson isnt the average legendary athlete His business profile expands across several industries but the one industry that Johnson is synonymous with is the moviebusiness. In addition to owning movie theaters, Johnson is also a content curator and has executive produced several films. One of which is the romantic comedy and hip hop film Brown Sugar. Nicole Ari Parker, Magic Johnson, Sanaa Lathan, and Taye Diggs | Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images Magic Johnsons work in the film business includes owning several movie theaters Johnson played professional basketball for over a decade and is one of the greatest players to ever step on the court. But when thinking of what life would be like outside of sports, Johnsons career expansion was non-traditional. Instead of becoming a sports analyst, coach, or agent, Johnson set his eyes on working behind the scenes in Hollywood. Johnson began opening Magic Johnson theaters in 1994 through a partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment. The idea was to bring world-class movie theater experiences to urban areas throughout the country. Magic Johnson outside of Magic Johnson Theaters | Jean Marc Giboux/Liaison Related: Magic Johnson Should Be Embarrassed by the Lakers Christmas Gift As for why he branched out into the movie business, a 2002 report in The Morning Callreveals that hes always had a love for movies. All I do is go to movies, he said. Thats why I opened my theater chain and thats why Im getting into producing. Furthermore, Johnson explained why traditional theaters are his go-to. I like watching movies with an audience and I talk back to the screen and I enjoy the whole experience. Johnson had six theatres by the 2000s in major cities including Atlanta and LA. Currently, the only theater left under his name that is still operating in business is in Harlem, New York. Magic Johnson executive produced Brown Sugar the film became a huge success In July 2002, it was announced that Johnsons first film to tackle would be as the executive producer of Brown Sugar. The film is a romantic comedy about two childhood friends with a shared love of hip hop who later grapple with their romantic feelings for one another. The film stars Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs and was coined as an urban When Harry Met Sally. Source: YouTube Sanaa Lathan: What is the Love & Basketball Actress Doing Now? Released in October 2002, the film was met with positive reviews. An LA Timesreview praised both the acting and storyline, reading, Brown Sugar is as satisfying as it is sleek, and Famuyiwa inspires carefully nuanced portrayals from his cast, which includes Mos Def as a humorous hip-hop artist who would rather drive a cab than sell out. Indeed, Brown Sugar proves as appealing as its title. With a budget of just $8 million, the movie grossed over $28 million worldwide. Johnson also played a hand in the films soundtrack as it was distributed from his own record label. Magic Johnson has produced other films Brown Sugar was just the start for Johnson. He worked as the executive producer for the 2009 urban thriller Obsessed starring Beyonc and Idris Elba. The film opened up at No. 1 in the box office its opening weekend and made over $70 million against its $20 million budget. Johnson also has his own television network, Aspire, which was launched in 2012. The networks targeted audience is African Americans with an intent to provide quality entertainment content. 2021 Showbiz Cheat Sheet, All Rights Reserved. Read more