Dre from Outkast had a special interest in the box office outcome of "8 Mile," and not just because he and Big Boi have a song in the movie.

Thanks to the success of Eminem's film, the Outkast rapper can likely more easily secure funding for a starring vehicle he plans to bring to the big screen next year.

Dre has teamed with director Morgan J. Freeman ("Hurricane Streets") for the drama "Love Hater," which takes its name from the solo album and first single the rapper will release next summer.

"We're using '8 Mile' as a template," Freeman said of their pitch to financiers. "Except we're going one step further and the movie will be called the same title as Dre's solo album and single."

Dre will play an upper-class musical prodigy on the run with a lower-class eccentric, possibly played by "The Rules of Attraction" star Shannyn Sossamon, who's is in negotiations. The couple is forced to flee when the woman's racist brother is involved in an accidental shooting.

"It was one of those scripts where I was like, 'I wish I had written it,' " Freeman said of "Love Hater," which he likened to "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Midnight Cowboy." "I wanted to do a movie about people, where the people are odd but they draw you in. I can't pitch it in one sentence."

"Love Hater" will begin filming in March in Dre's hometown of Atlanta and will likely be released in September. Aside from his solo album, Dre will also record music and serve as executive producer for the "Love Hater" soundtrack.

Freeman said Big Boi might appear in the film, but in an uncredited cameo. "This is Dre's thing," he said.

Before "Love Hater" hits the screen, Dre will appear in a smaller role in "Hollywood Homicide" alongside Josh Hartnett and Harrison Ford (see [article id="1457762"]"Master P, Kurupt, Outkast's Dre Do 'Hollywood Homicide' "[/article]).