Matt Damon, Marisa Tomei and Eddie Vedder will contribute their talents to a documentary miniseries based on historian-author Howard Zinn's 1980 book "A People's History of the United States."
Titled "The People Speak," the project will feature music and readings based on America's struggles with war, class, race and the rights of women. No network is attached yet.
Damon and Tomei, along with Viggo Mortensen, Josh Brolin, Danny Glover, David Strathairn and Kerry Washington, will provide performances for the project, which will interweave archival footage, photographs and interviews. Pearl Jam frontman Vedder and R&B singer John Legend will handle the music.
"It's going to be a great piece of entertainment but more importantly something people can watch and learn and remember how great this country has been and how individual people have changed the course of history," said executive producer Chris Moore. "It's going to make them think, laugh and cry and be proud to be American."
The project, also based on Zinn's companion book "Voices of a People's History of the United States" which he co-wrote with Anthony Arnove, will begin production in January in Boston.
Zinn, who will provide introductions and the historical context through on-camera appearances, also is executive producing.