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It’s one of the most brilliantly bonkers sports stories in history, and now LaKeith Stanfield is going to lead the charge in telling it. The former Atlanta and Oscar-nominated star has been confirmed (via The InSneider) to be taking on the role of retired Chicago Bulls basketball player Dennis Rodman, who went missing for 48 hours in Las Vegas for some downtime when his team was close to winning the 1998 championship.
The film entitled 48 Hours in Vegas was initially set to star Jonathan Majors, until he was taken off the project in 2023 following his assault charges. Stanfield will be taking over the role with The Mandalorian and Ahsoka director, Rick Famuyiwa, on board to call the shots from the sidelines, or in this case, the Las Vegas strip. He’ll also be penning a new script following the original draft from Jordan VanDina. The project is also being backed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who are on board as producers.
In a statement following the announcement, Stanfield said, “I’m genuinely excited to help create an exhilarating, joyful work that both honors and thoughtfully examines the legacy of Rodman and fellow trailblazers. Those who moved to the beat of their own drum, undeterred by the obstacles placed before them, then and now.”
It certainly feels like a great match for both star and star athlete, given Stanfield’s occasionally off-kilter but consistently brilliant characters he’s played up until now. Should you require a sports fix in the meantime, check out our ranked list of sports movies here.
