The latest Spike Lee joint will not be coming to a theater near you. It's a part of the upcoming video game NBA 2K16. The legendary filmmaker wrote and directed the game's story-driven career mode. But he's not done with more traditional modes of storytelling: His next film, Chiraq, is based on an ancient Greek comedy, but set among the violence of Chicago's South Side. Reportedly a satire, the film sees Lee returning to familiar territory while still pushing himself forward. We talked to Lee earlier this week at the premiere for NBA 2K16 about what to expect from Chiraq, what he thinks of Bernie Sanders, and the film he says explains Donald Trump's popularity.

So you created NBA 2K16's story mode. What was different about telling a story in a video game rather than a movie?

What was new for me—I've never done motion control photography. That was different.

You're a huge basketball fan and you mentioned that student-athletes should be getting paid. It's a topic coming up a lot.

I'm not the only one saying that. Coaches are saying it, too. The quality is horrible. The money that college teams and college sports are making today. To say student-athletes get free tuition and board... That might've been alright when the NCAA wasn't making billion-dollar deals.

Your upcoming film, Chiraq, is an adaptation of a Greek play. Why did you choose Chicago specifically?

Chicago right now is the poster board for black-on-black violence. It's not like it doesn't happen other places. It's not like it doesn't happen in Brooklyn or Philly or wherever, but it's on another level in Chicago.

You've explored some more fantastical themes in recent movies like Oldboy and Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. Do you see your movies as getting less grounded?

No, not at all. You can't get more real than what we're doing with Chiraq. This film is blood on the streets... the South Side at least. Let me give you a fact: We started shooting Chiraq June 1 and ended July 9. During that time in Chicago's South Side, 331 people got shot and 65 got murdered. This past weekend was the second-most violent weekend of 2015 in Chicago. It's serious.

We're not looking for an official endorsement here, but are there any candidates you're interested in?

I'm very intrigued by Bernie from Brooklyn. I want to get to know more about him. I'm excited about him.

And what about Trump? What do you think about the fact that he's gained so much traction?

That doesn't surprise me. You should watch a film called A Face in the Crowd. Directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg that shows what happens now and it was made in 1957. [Eds. note: The film follows a hobo who becomes powerful and famous because of the influence of a radio show host.]

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