The upcoming biopic "Son of the South" has found its John Lewis. "The Maze Runner" actor Dexter Darden is set to play the real-life civil rights leader and now-congressman, Deadline reports.

Barry Alexander Brown is directing the film, and he also penned the script. It is based on "The Wrong Side of Murder Creek," a memoir by Bob Zellner, written with Constance Curry, about joining the civil rights movement. As the grandson of a Klansman, Zellner was an unlikely ally, but he was inspired by Lewis and other civil rights activists.

Darden will appear in the film alongside Lucas Till (Zellner), Lucy Hale, and Cedric the Entertainer, among others. He most recently appeared in "Maze Runner: The Death Cure," having played Frypan in each of the three films. Darden was also in 2018's "Burden."

"Son of the South" will be produced by Lucidity Entertainment's Colin Bates, River Bend Pictures' Stan Erdreich, and Eve Pomerance, Bill Black, and David Kang. Spike Lee is set to executive produce alongside Brown.

[via: Deadline]