In 2012, Lee was in negotiations with the [[George Gershwin]] estate to direct the ''[[Porgy and Bess (film)|Porgy and Bess]]'' remake.<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Spike Lee in Negotiations for PORGY AND BESS Film Adaptation|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Spike-Lee-in-Negotiations-for-PORGY-AND-BESS-Film-Adaptation-20120809|date=9 August 2012|website=Broadway World|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> InThe Aprilfollowing 2013year, Bothboth the Gershwin Familyfamily and the DuBose Heyward estate announced a remake iswas in development without Lee's involvement.<ref>{{cite news|last=McNary|first=Dave|title='Porgy and Bess': Gershwins' Opera Gets Film Update (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/porgy-and-bess-movie-1200333773/|date=5 April 2013|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> On February 11,In 2020, [[Dee Rees]] was hired to write and direct the remake.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title=Dee Rees To Write & Direct New Movie Adaptation Of George Gershwin's 'Porgy And Bess' For MGM & Winkler Films|url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/dee-rees-porgy-and-bess-movie-mgm-write-direct-george-gershwin-irwin-winkler-charles-winkler-1202856567/|date=February 11, 2020|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=November 20, 2022}}</ref>
