It’s been quite the year for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak led the Bucks to the top seed in the Eastern Conference — and the best overall record in the NBA last season. It may have ended in disappointment, as Milwaukee was eliminated in the second round by the Heat, but with Giannis firmly in his prime, the Bucks are built to contend for the foreseeable future and will certainly do some retooling the offseason to address those issues still holding them back.
Giannis also took home his second straight Most Valuable Player award and his first-ever Defensive Player of the Year trophy, a well-deserved recognition for his ongoing dominance as one of the best two-way players in the NBA today. He was also named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.
Now, fans will be treated to a whole new look at his life and his journey. According to the latest reports, Disney is developing a new biopic about Giannis and his family and their hardscrabble upbringing Greece and how he climbed his way out of poverty to become one of the world’s biggest superstar athletes.
The Walt Disney Studios is in development on Greek Freak, a live action film for Disney+ inspired by the true life story of NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family. Akin Omotoso is attached to direct.
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Arash Amel will pen the script with Bernie Goldmann producing. Giannis Antetokounmpo is an executive producer. Production on the film will begin in 2021 in Antetokounmpo’s native Greece and other US locations.
Giannis’ brothers Thanasis and Kostas are also professional basketball players in their own right. Kostas was a member of the Lakers championship as a two-way player, while Thanasis joined his younger brother on the Bucks. The three of them were the newest additions to the Yard in Madden 21.
Giannis was clearly excited about the collaboration with Disney, as he helped put out the casting call on Twitter.
Disney is making a movie based on my family’s story and they are searching for actors to play me and my brother, Thanasis, in our younger days. No experience necessary! It helps if you resemble the handsome boys pictured below and have some basketball experience. SPREAD THE WORD!
— Giannis Ugo Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) October 28, 2020
His transformation from a raw, skinny talent to the league’s most dominant force is a fascinating story, and one that we’ll get to see on the big (at home) screen sometime in the near future.
(Deadline)