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For Will Thompson, the Streets of Chicago Has a Story to Tell

Actor Will Thompson is proud to announce the release of his brand new movie Good Intentions, the follow-up to award-winning film Related Destiny

With Good Intentions, Thompson’s self-funded production company Urban Visionary Films hopes to bring a heart-wrenching story of loyalty, passion, and life’s most difficult decisions to the big screen.

Good Intentions follows the tale of a Chicago police officer Alex Mason who crosses the line in order to save the life of his wife. The story showcases the struggles of black officers and citizens alike when their hopes and dreams are met with the harsh realities of life on the Chicago streets. 

A story of good and evil amid the harsh day-to-day existence of Chicago’s finest, Good Intentions was written, produced, and directed by Thompson himself. He also stars as Officer Mason, a role that Thompson brings to life stunningly on the screen.

According to Thompson, Good Intentions allowed the actor/director to use the power of perspective to showcase how stories can be seen in a variety of ways. Above all, Thompson and Urban Visionary Films strive to bring a film that everyone will love after the difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic:

“I love storytelling. There are multiple stories being told in Good Intentions. That all kinda connect in its own way. It shows how things really work from different perspectives. My hope with this film is that it gives people something that’s entertaining and at the same time relatable.”

In bringing Officer Alex Mason to life, Thompson leaned on the expertise of other actors who had excelled at filling the roles of emergency personnel. While preparing to film, Thompson contacted Chicago PD actor Laroyce Hawkins to gain insight into how Hawkins developed his fan-favorite character Kevin Atwater on the hit NBC series.

“While I was working to develop Alex Mason, I called the homie Royce to see if he could give me some pointers. I took his guidance and advice and ran with those ideas for character development and realism.” 

One piece of advice that Hawkins gave Thompson was to connect with a real Chicago police officer to learn the ins and outs of the job. Working alongside a police officer, Thompson was able to bring a true realism to the harrowing role and responsibility that these heroes have—while bringing to light the internal struggles that many face in their personal lives.

Good Intentions was almost just that—a film built on a dream without a chance to come to reality. As filming began on the new movie, the sudden and dramatic arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly caused Thompson and Urban Visionary Films to indefinitely put the project on hold. 

Not only did the film face financial difficulties, many of those who Thompson had hired to film the movie suddenly lost their jobs and could no longer afford to continue on the project. As one of the largest undertakings in his life, Thompson found himself facing the prospect of having to put his first feature film production on hold until the pandemic ended.

In an interview with Swagger, Thompson spoke of the difficulties of helping protect his crew while still trying to bring his project to life:

“We wanted to make sure that the safety of our cast and crew was taken as first priority. We immediately broke everything down, and I let everyone know that I wanted to see them stay healthy and get back on set as soon as we could all get back together.” 

While the pandemic put a stop to Thompson’s creative work, the events that culminated in the murder of George Floyd reignited the spark that Good Intentions needed to come to life. 

With a fresh passion for bringing the story of police action and race relations to the spotlight, Thompson knew Good Intentions was a story that the world needed to hear.

Bringing his crew back together, Thompson worked hard to finish the filming and production of the film without risking health or wellness. The result is the final version of Good Intentions, slated to roll onto theaters soon.

Chicago police action and community relations is a reality that Thompson knows well. Having grown up in Oak Park, a suburb in Chicago, Thompson saw first-hand the often violent interactions that Chicago police and citizens had on a daily basis.

As the founder and lead for Urban Visionary Films, Thompson has placed himself in a prime position to thrive in the post-pandemic movie world. 

The industry has noticed as well, with a recent exposé in Hip Hop Weekly noting that his “naturally good looks, brilliant talent and ‘go get’ em’ attitude makes Will Thompson one to watch in the year 2022”

Coming off successful releases of the short film Related Destiny, Thompson has now made a name for himself as a leading voice in creating some of today’s most hard-hitting scripts and full-length productions. 

Bringing his heart for Chicago to the big screen has been a dream that Thompson has now seen come to life. Audiences will love the passion that Thompson brings to Officer Alex Mason and the story of Chicago that he captures from his own experience. 

Good Intentions is slated to be released soon. You won’t want to miss your chance to experience Will Thompson’s latest project and see the world in a brand new way. 

Find Will Thompson on Amazon and Instagram.

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