LeBron James Releases Shooting Stars Movie First Look
LeBron James and Peacock have released a first look at the upcoming original movie Shooting Stars. Based on the book by James and Pulitzer Prize winning author Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights) about James and his high school teammates. Directed by Black-ish and ATL alum Chris Robinson, with a script from Frank E. Flowers, Juel Taylor, and Tony Rettenmaier, Shooting Stars will premiere on the streaming service on June 2. Peacock describes the film as follows: "Shooting Stars is the inspiring origin story of a basketball superhero, revealing how LeBron James and his childhood friends become the #1 high school team in the country, launching James's breathtaking career as a four-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA's all-time leading scorer."
The cast for Shooting Stars includes Marquis Mookie Cook as a Young LeBron James with Natalie Paul playing his mother, Gloria. The film will also star Dermot Mulroney as Coach Keith Dambrot, Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin as Dru Joyce III, a best friend and the son of the boys' coach. The Wire and Creed star Wood Harris will play their coach, Dru Joyce II. Algee Smith will play Illya McGee, Avery Wills will play Willie McGee, Scoot Henderson will portray Romeo Travis, Khalil Everage will play Sian Cotton, and Katlyn Nichol will play James wife, Savannah James.
"Was it insane for a high school basketball team to jet around the country?" James wrote in the book, Shooting Stars. "At the time I thought it was exciting, going to places I never ever thought I would get to see in my life when I was a scared lonely young boy. Now I believe it was excessive."
Ever since he became a part of the Los Angeles Lakers organization, James has been making moves to be a bigger part of Hollywood. After appearing in films like Trainwreck and other television appearances, James would go on to produce shows like The Shop and Self Made, plus movies like Hustle and House Party, as well as Space Jam: A New Legacy, which he starred in.
Shooting Stars was one of three original movies announced by the streamer that would premiere in 2023. The other titles include Praise This, a new movie from producer Will Packer, starring Chloe Bailey as the newest member of a community's church choir who pushes her members in a hipper musical direction and whose involvement with an irreverent hip-hop star may kick off-or jeopardize-her own musical career; the other is John Woo's own remake of The Killer.