Posted by Emily Exton on 02/01/2012 at 6:26 PM News

The Popdust Files: kanye west, movies, wtf

Kanye West’s strides towards becoming a movie mogul continue. Just a few weeks ago we were hearing Yeezy would be involved in a remake of The Jetsons, and now reports are surfacing that he’ll soon be filming a new project in the Middle East. To borrow a favorite: Hunh? The New York Observer reports that members of Team West have already traveled to meet with film companies in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha Qatar interested in collaborating on a short film, similar to the 30-minute “Runaway” he released in 2010. Unconfirmed by Yeezy’s people, yet the Observer‘s source believes West’s team is behind the project, and dare we say, excited about things: “His reps seemed genuinely enthusiastic about creating a piece which highlights the culture accurately.” The working title or general idea has not been revealed, but was reportedly inspired by West’s own trip to the region. And to further maintain authenticity—and look out for his friends—he’s hoping to include some famous locals (i.e. Sheikhs) who don’t try to hide their love of the spotlight.

Musicians and their cinematic ambitions. Like all things West gets himself involved in, the project is not just a chance at a glamorous vacation; there’s something larger at stake. “There’s a lot of preconceived notions and stereotypes about Emiratis and Qataris, which Westerners often play up. They discussed how Kanye is looking to bridge the cultural divide and break misconceptions.” Could this be DONDA‘s first project?