Los Angeles, Nov 14 (IANS): Filmmaker Spike Lee will direct a big-screen version of the hip-hop love story "Prince of Cats", based on Ron Wimberlys graphic novel.

Lee, who won the Academy Award for adapted screenplay for "BlacKkKlansman", will also rewrite the "Prince of Cats" script with Wimberly and screenwriter Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, reports variety.com.

"Prince of Cats" is told through characters in William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" as seen through the eyes of Tybalt, Juliet's cousin. The story is set in Da People's Republic of Brooklyn, where underground sword dueling abounds.

Lee received Oscar nominations for best picture and director for "BlacKkKlansman". He is in post-production on the thriller "Da 5 Bloods", starring Chadwick Boseman, Paul Walter Hauser and Jonathan Majors. Lee grew up in Brooklyn, which has been the setting for many of his films, including "She's Gotta have It", "Do the Right Thing", "Jungle Fever", "Crooklyn", "Clockers" and "He Got Game".

Lee is also an executive producer on the civil rights drama "Son of the South" with his longtime editor Barry Alexander Brown directing from his own screenplay.