The Butler may cast Forest Whitaker and David Oyelowo as his son.
Forest Whitaker and David Oyelowo are both currently in negotiations for the Lee Daniels (Precious) film based on Wil Haygood's Washington Post story, reports Variety.
They would join Oprah Winfrey who is in early discussions to join as the wife in the drama scripted by Daniels and Danny Strong.
Wil Haygood's story focuses on White House servant Eugene Allen, following a butler who served at the White House under eight presidents, starting in 1952 until 1986.
Producing is Hilary Shor, along with Laura Ziskin Productions Pamela Williams.
Denzel Washington was originally attached to star in The Butler with Sony distributing, but this didn't materialize.
Whitaker's in post-production on several projects, including Jessy Terrero's Freelancers with Robert De Niro and Dana Delany, Philippe Caland's horror/thriller Vipaka with Anthony Mackie, Nicole Ari Parker, Sanaa Nathan and Mike Epps on board, and Kim Jee-woon's The Last Stand crime actioner frontlined by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Genesis Rodriguez, Rodrigo Santoro and Peter Stormare.
Oyelowo was last seen in Red Tails, and is in Paperboy, also from Lee Daniels. He's in post-production on Steven Spielberg's Lincoln with Daniel Day-Lewis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, James Spader, Jackie Earle Haley and John Hawkes, as well as Christopher McQuarrie's One Shot crime drama which stars Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall, Jai Courtney, Werner Herzog and Richard Jenkins.