Yahoo Finance ‘David Makes Man’ Star Akili McDowell To Headline Sports Drama ‘More Than Rivals’
EXCLUSIVE: Akili McDowell has signed on to star More Than Rivals, a feature based on the New York Times Best Selling book by Ken Abraham.
From the writer of Rudy and Hoosiers, Angelo Pizzo’s screenplay captures another great sports moment in history. The timely story shows how two young kids are able to look past the pressures and rules and do what kids do – have fun. Black and white fade away and they create a lifelong bond that changes a city. Based on a true story, the film is set in 1970 in Gallatin, Tennessee, and follows two boys, Eddie Sherlin and Bill Ligon (McDowell), growing up on opposite sides of the tracks who shared a passion for basketball. After years of playing wherever they could find a hoop, Eddie and Bill entered the rigors of their respective high school teams. And at the end of the 1970 season, all-white Gallatin High and all-black Union High faced each other in a once-in-a-lifetime championship game. What happened that night would challenge Eddie and Bill and transform their town.
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The Last Starfighter director Nick Castle will direct the film. The project hails from SWE Films Susan Michels, Pierre Romain and Justin Ross, who will produce. Production is slated to begin this spring in Georgia.
McDowell stars in the Peabody Award-winning series David Makes Man from Oprah Winfrey, Michael B Jordan and Tarell McCraney, and recurs in the critically acclaimed series Billions. He is repped by CAA, manager Carissa Stewart and Brecheen Feldman Breimer Silver Thompson.
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