Copyright Deadline
EXCLUSIVE: Apple Original Films’ untitled Stephen Chbosky dramedy starring Mark Wahlberg has added four new cast members: Wood Harris (One Battle After Another), Mark Linn-Baker (Ghosts), Yakov Smirnoff (Night Court), and Didi Conn (Best Medicine). Character details are under wraps. Developed and produced by Apple Studios, the film is based on 2023’s Weekend Rebels, an original German-language sports dramedy based on the true story of Mirco and Jason von Juterzcenka. The story follows a father and his autistic son, who wants to find a favorite Premier League soccer club and makes his father take him to see every single team so he can decide. Sources say this version takes place in the NBA given ties to The SpringHill Company, which is producing with Plan B. Chbosky is directing from his own script, with Indie DesRoches and Vera Farmiga also starring. The film is being produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner for Plan B, as well as Spencer Beighley, LeBron James, and Jamal Henderson for SpringHill. SpringHill co-founder Maverick Carter is exec producing along with Michelle Wilens. The film is being made in association with Wiedemann & Berg Film, whose Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann also exec produce. The original film was also produced by Wiedemann & Berg Film, part of Leonine Studios, written by Richard Kropf and directed by Marc Rothemund. Wiedemann & Berg and Leonine are Mediawan companies. Known for roles in The Wire, Remember the Titans, Ant-Man, Southland Tales and more, Harris is coming off roles in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Netflix’s Forever. He is repped by Artists First. Recently, Linn-Baker has been seen on shows like Ghosts, Succession, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Chicago Med. He is repped by Paradigm. Smirnoff is a well-known Soviet-American comedian and actor whose screen credits include Dice, King of the Hill, and Night Court, to name a few. He is repped by the Kinkead Entertainment Agency. Known for her role as Frenchy in the Grease films, Conn has recently been seen on shows like Overcompensating and Harlan Coben’s Shelter and will be seen coming up in the Fox medical series Best Medicine. She is represented by Headline Talent Agency.
