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EXCLUSIVE: Following the success of The Family Plan, Mark Wahlberg and Apple are looking to get back in business as sources tell Deadline following a competitive situation, Apple Original Films has landed the hot package Weekend Warriors, a new feature that will be written and directed by Stephen Chbosky, with Wahlberg attached to star in the lead role. Plan B and The SpringHill Company are set to produce and the project will be developed and produced by Apple Studios and insiders say the film is in early development.
The project is based on the 2023 pic Weekend Rebels, an original German-language sports comedy-drama based on the true story of Mirco and Jason von Juterzcenka. The story follows a father and his autistic son, who wants to find his favorite soccer club in the Premiere League and makes his father take him to see every single team so he can decide. Sources say this version is said to take place in the NBA given the SpringHill ties.
Sources say SpringHill has been spearheading the package given the uplifting story and after a trailer for the film was recently played at a WME talent meeting (who rep SpringHill, Wahlberg and Chbosky), it wasn’t long before the two talents got wind of it and ultimately attached themselves to the package.
The remake will be will be produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner for Plan B, and Spencer Beighley, LeBron James and Jamal Henderson for SpringHill. The SpringHill Company’s co-founder, Maverick Carter, will executive produce along with Michelle Wilens. Hailing from Apple Studios. Weekend Warriors will be made in association with Wiedemann & Berg Film. Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann will executive produce on behalf of Wiedemann & Berg Film.
The original film was produced by Wiedemann & Berg Film, part of LEONINE studios, written by Richard Kropf, and directed by Marc Rothemund. Wiedemann & Berg Film and LEONINE Studios are Medianwan companies.
Weekend Warriors marks the second collaboration for Apple Original Films and Wahlberg, who recently starred in The Family Plan, which premiered as the most-watched movie on Apple TV+ with the film blowing away viewing records for the streamer.
Wahlberg was most recently seen in the Netflix action comedy The Union, where he stars opposite Halle Berry. The film bowed this past weekend and landed on the top of the Netflix10 movie list. Next up he has the Lionsgate thriller Flight Risk and Amazon MGM Studios thriller Play Dirty. He is currently filming the Peter Farrelly comedy Balls Up for Amazon MGM Studios and Skydance.
Chbosky is best known for his critically acclaimed coming-of-age drams like Perks of Being A Wallflower and Wonder, and Weekend Warriors falls right in his wheelhouse of uplifting dramas.
SpringHill most recently produced the sports drama Shooting Stars. Plan B has Beetlejuice Beetlejuice bowing at the Venice Film Festival next week.
Apple Original Films most recently released The Instigators, a heist-gone-wrong film starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck for director Doug Liman, and will soon premiere highly anticipated titles including F1 starring Brad Pitt from director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer; Wolfs, the action comedy led by global superstars George Clooney and Brad Pitt and premiering in select theaters on September 20 before streaming globally on Apple TV+ on September 27; Blitz, from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sir Steve McQueen premiering globally on November 22, and more.
