Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Joins Will Smith’s NFL Concussion DramaPosted by Wilson Morales
October 29, 2014
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is joining Will Smith in the studio’s untitled NFL drama about the concussions that occurs with players and the effects that it has on them after their playing days are over.
With Peter Landesman (“Parkland”) on board to write and direct, the film will be based on Jeanne Marie Laskas‘ 2009 GQ article “Game Brain.” Smith will play Dr. Bennet Omalu, a real-world forensic neuropathologist whose research has helped bring attention to the issue.
Also cast in the film are Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin, Bitsie Tulloch, and Albert Brooks.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje will play real-life NFL safety Dave Duerson, a three-time Pro Bowl pick who died in 2011 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. At his request, Duerson’s brain was sent to researchers, who determined that the athlete had suffered from the debilitating symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by his football injuries.
He recently starred in disaster period pic Pompeii and will be seen in the upcoming Annie remake for Sony. On the small screen, he just signed on to appear in Season 5 of HBO’s Game Of Thrones and soon will return to NBC’s Odyssey as series regular.
Giannina Facio, Ridley Scott and Michael Schaefer will produce for Scott Free while David Wolthoff and Larry Shuman will produce for the Shuman Company.
