Lionsgate has greenlit a movie about NFL legend Kurt Warner from Kingdom Story Company, producers of the box office hit I Can Only Imagine.
American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story will be directed by brothers Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin and produced by partner Kevin Downes. Kingdom Story has a first-look deal to develop, produce and helm faith-based film and TV projects for Lionsgate.
Warner and his wife Brenda will co-produce the drama, which recalls his unlikely journey from stocking shelves at a supermarket in Iowa to becoming a two-time NFL MVP, a Super Bowl MVP and a Hall of Fame quarterback. Kingdom Story acquired Warner’s life rights, and the screenplay is based on interviews with Warner and his memoir, All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football and the First Miracle Season.
“Kurt lived the ultimate underdog story, it’s one of perseverance, dedication and tenacity, but also one of the powers behind the scenes — his family and his faith — that led him to victory. His story is bigger than football and inspiring to dreamers everywhere, and we’re excited to be getting started,” the Erwin brothers said Tuesday in a statement.
American Underdog is set for a Dec. 18 wide release by Lionsgate. “I am extremely excited to be working with Lionsgate and the Erwin Bros. to bring this story to life on the big screen, in hopes of encouraging all who see it to never stop believing in themselves and what God can do with them!” Warner said in his own statement.
Lionsgate’s I Still Believe, a biopic about Christian music star Jeremy Camp and helmed by the Erwin brothers, is set to open March 13. The siblings also previously worked with Lionsgate and sister company Roadside Attractions on the 2018 film I Can Only Imagine, which grossed $83 million domestically on a budget of $7 million. I Can Only Imagine portrayed the true story of Bart Millard, lead singer of the Christian band MercyMe.
The Erwin brothers’ other faith-based credits include 2015’s Woodlawn.
SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter – Etan Vlessing
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