Cedric the Entertainer is looking to stretch himself. No, don’t expect to see him playing some role on screen that goes too far beyond his King of Comedy persona. Instead the comedian is stepping behind the camera for his directorial debut.

The Hollywood Reporter announced that Cedric’s first stint at director will take place on Chicago Pulaski Jones, an independent comedy written by Kel Mitchell (of Keenan and Kel fame) and Janis Woody. The movie will star Mitchell and Cedric, as well as Tommy Davidson and Gary Sturgis.

Chicago Pulaski Jones centers around a young dancer who heads to the big city for a shot at the big time, only to discover his uncle has been murdered. Instead of dancing, the young man heads out on a path of vigilante justice. Quite an unusual story to be told by someone known for making people laugh.

Personally I’m glad to hear that Cedric the Entertainer is stretching out. Between this and his appearance in Cadillac Records the actor will really have a chance to expand his craft and prove he’s more than just a king of comedy, but a real entertainer as well.