A look inside Hollywood and the movies : L.A. STORIES : Crips Saga in Development

“The Michael Concepcion Story,” which details the creation, growth and rise to power of South-Central L.A.’s Crips gang through the personal story of one its founders, is currently being developed at Warner Bros. by Benny Medina, an executive at Warner Bros. Records’ Black Music Division, and partner Jeff Pollack.

Medina says Renny Harlin (“Die Hard 2”) will direct the film, and Concepcion, who among several others formed the gang in the late ‘70s, will act as a consultant. Medina and Pollack have a deal at Warner Bros. to develop film projects.

Medina says he decided to develop the idea after working with Concepcion, who served time for murder when he was 13 years old, during the making almost two years ago of the anti-gang rap record “We’re All in the Same Gang.”

“It’s the story of the gang through his eyes,” says Medina, who, in addition to his duties at Warner Bros. Records, is also the creator and one of the producers of the NBC comedy “Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” “The story will show how the gang went from being formed to protect themselves to becoming the most powerful organized gang operation in the state.”

According to Medina, screenwriter Richard DiLello spent a lot of time with Concepcion researching the story and has finished a 140-page draft of the script. “The script is very epic,” Medina says. “It’s something along the lines of ‘The Godfather’ and ‘JFK’ with a real historical backdrop.”

Medina says rap star Hammer has been interested in the role of Concepcion, although nothing has been decided. Other possibilities, according to Medina, include Wesley Snipes and Ice Cube, although there has been talk of casting an unknown. “I get the feeling that probably the most significant thing we could do would be to really find some new, fresh actor,” he says. “Maybe we could go into the community and find a guy who has the sensibilities to pull off the character.”

Concepcion, who currently runs his own record company and has not been affiliated with the Crips since 1985, said he believes that the film will be an opportunity to show what gang life is really like.

“I want to make sure people, especially kids, know that it’s not a good life,” says Concepcion, who uses a wheelchair, the result of a gang shooting in 1977, when he was 21 years old. “It cost me my legs. This movie will show what happened to me from being in that life.”