42 — Jackie Robinson biopic

Trailer was released yesterday (film comes out in April):

I'd say this has potential, though I'm hoping the "music of Jay-Z" is not as prominently featured in the film as it is in the trailer.

And Harrison Ford is completely unrecognizable as Branch Rickey.

Also features Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher, Lucas Black as Pee Wee Reese and John C. McGinley as Red Barber.

The guy playing Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) I'd never heard of or seen before that I recall.

 

Mel Gibson has to have a spot as one of the St. Louis Cardinals.

 

"Brooklyn ... we go hawd! ... Jackie Robi'son ... we go hawd!"

 

I can't wait to watch. Much of it was filmed in Birmingham and Chattanooga. One of the stars is Lucas Black (Slingblade, Friday Night Lights [film], Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift).

 

Yeah, as I mentioned in the original post, he plays Pee Wee Reese.

 

My post didn't finish... it was supposed to say a native of Alabama with the coolest story ever about how he broke into films.

 

CJ Nitkowski plays Dutch Leonard, IIRC. He Tweeted about being amazed how he actually got a speaking role despite no acting experience.

 

They were here in Chattanooga for about a month filming at Engel Stadium (which had been condemned). They turned the outfield wall into a giant green screen.

 

Spike Lee had been trying to do this one for awhile. I think at one point it was going to be the movie he did after Malcolm X.

 

This one's written and directed by Brian Helgeland, who has adapted some great screenplays (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River, Green Zone among them), but hasn't done anything really that notable as a director.

 

So no Philip Seymour Hoffman as Durocher?

 

He's going to play Duke Snider.