Arash Amel, who has written biopics ‘A Private War’ and ‘Grace of Monaco,’ wrote the script for the Disney+ feature project.
South Africa-based director Akin Omotoso has been hired to direct Greek Freak, a live-action feature centered on NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo being developed by Disney+.
Arash Amel, who has written biopics A Private War and Grace of Monaco, penned the script for Freak, which tells the true story of Antetokounmpo, who was born in Greece to Nigerian parents and currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The story is said to focus on how the Antetokounmpo family relied on faith, determination and their unbreakable bond as they united to lift themselves out of a life of poverty as undocumented immigrants living in Greece. The young man started playing basketball in the Greek professional league before drawing the attention of the NBA. In 2013, he was drafted by the Bucks, becoming one of the youngest players ever in the NBA. Antetokounmpo has lived up to his nickname, the Greek Freak, winning league MVP awards back-to-back in 2019 and 2020.
Bernie Goldman is producing. Antetokounmpo is an executive producer on the project.
Disney is now on the hunt for actors to play Antetokounmpo at two different teen stages and is moving toward a shoot in 2021.
Omotoso already has some basketball experience, having directed a documentary for NBA Africa on the organization’s relationship with the continent ahead of the first-ever exhibition game played there in 2015. The Nigerian-born filmmaker also directed the feature Vaya, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was picked up by Netflix and distributed in the U.S. by Ava DuVernay’s Array.
He is repped by APA, The Mission Entertainment and Gang Tyre.
Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com
