Shooting Stars
Official poster
Directed byChris Robinson
Screenplay by
Based onShooting Stars
by LeBron James
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKarsten Gopinath
Edited byJo Francis
Music byMark Isham
Production
companies
Distributed byPeacock
Release date
  • June 2, 2023 (2023-06-02)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$25 million[2]

Shooting Stars is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film about the high school sports career of LeBron James. Directed by Chris Robinson, and starring Mookie Cook as the lead, it is based on James' 2009 memoir of the same name, co-authored by Buzz Bissinger.

The film was released on June 2, 2023, by Peacock.

Plot

Based on the book by LeBron James and the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Friday Night Lights, Buzz Bissinger, Shooting Stars is the inspiring origin story of a basketball superhero, revealing how LeBron James and his childhood friends become the #1 high school team in the country, launching James's breathtaking career as a four-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and the NBA's all-time leading scorer.[3]

Cast

Production

In 2014, it was reported that a film based on LeBron James' high school years would be produced by Universal Pictures.[6] The film is based on James' 2009 memoir of the same name, co-authored by Buzz Bissinger.[4]

Principal photography began on April 18, 2022, in Beachwood, Ohio.[7] Filming lasted until June 2022. Among the locations used for filming were St. Paul's Episcopal Church.[2]

Release

Shooting Stars premiered on Peacock on June 2, 2023.[8]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 53% of 34 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Although Shooting Stars isn't without its engaging moments, this dramatized look back at LeBron James' early years is less entertaining than simply watching him play."[9] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 62 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Soloski, Alexis (June 3, 2022). "Caleb McLaughlin of 'Stranger Things' Slays Tennis Balls". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Gideon, Vic (April 28, 2022). "Filming for movie about LeBron James' life underway in Cleveland Heights". cleveland19. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "Watch Shooting Stars (2023) Streaming Online | Peacock". @peacocktv. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Kit, Borys (May 13, 2022). "High School Basketball Star Mookie Cook to Play Young LeBron James in Drama 'Shooting Stars' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  5. ^ Breiler, Christopher (May 18, 2022). "Future Wolverine Lands Role In Upcoming Movie". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  6. ^ Kit, Borys (May 2, 2014). "LeBron James High School Movie Heading to Universal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  7. ^ Simmons, Brandon (April 18, 2022). "Extras needed for Universal Studios LeBron James Biopic 'Shooting Stars'". wkyc.com. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  8. ^ Lowry, Brian (June 2, 2023). "'Shooting Stars' charts how LeBron James rose with an assist from his friends". CNN. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  9. ^ "Shooting Stars". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  10. ^ "Shooting Stars". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2023.

External links

Shooting Stars at IMDb

LeBron James
Peacock original programming
Categories