LaKeith Stanfield is formally moving into the position of NBA icon Dennis Rodman in the upcoming Lionsgate comedy 48 Hours in Vegasmarking a serious casting shift for the long-anticipated venture.
Stanfield replaces Jonathan Majors, who was beforehand hooked up to painting the Chicago Bulls legend, earlier than being faraway from the movie following his 2023 assault conviction. Lionsgate moved ahead with the recasting as improvement continued on the venture, which pulls inspiration from one of the notorious off-court moments in NBA historical past.
According to the studio press launch, 48 Hours in Vegas relies on the “untold story of Dennis Rodman’s legendary trip to Las Vegas during the 1998 NBA Finals, just as the Rodman’s Chicago Bulls are on the verge of completing their second consecutive three-peat championship in eight years.”
Rodman’s transient disappearance from the group grew to become a part of league lore, additional cementing his status as certainly one of sports activities’ most unpredictable figures. Stanfield stated he was wanting to tackle the problem of portraying such a singular character.
“I’m genuinely excited to help create an exhilarating, joyful work that both honors and thoughtfully examines the legacy of Rodman and fellow trailblazers,” he stated in an announcement. “Those who moved to the beat of their own drum, undeterred by the obstacles placed before them, then and now.”
Rick Famuyiwa will direct the movie, and producers embrace Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Aditya Sood below the Lord Miller banner. Executive producers embrace Ari Lubet, Dennis Rodman himself, and Lucy Kitada, with Nikki Baida serving as co-producer. Meredith Wieck and Pavan Kalidindi are overseeing the venture for Lionsgate, whereas Robert Melnik negotiated the offers on the studio’s behalf.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president Erin Westerman praised each Rodman’s cultural influence and Stanfield’s casting, saying, “Dennis Rodman is more than a basketball player, more than a personality, he’s an entire cultural phenomenon. His bold style and physical presence, combined with an iconic persona, created a larger-than-life impact on and off the court. There’ll never be another like him. LaKeith and the incredibly talented team on this film will bring the legend to life in this most extraordinarily unbelievable story.”
Stanfield earned an Academy Award nomination in 2021 for his efficiency in Judas and the Black Messiah and is widely known for roles in Get Out, Sorry to Bother You, The Book of Clarenceand FX’s Atlanta. His latest credit embrace Roofman and Die My Lovewith I Love Boosters set as his subsequent launch.