Mark Wahlberg To Star In Remake Of 2023 Comedy Movie

Mark Wahlberg is set to star in a new remake film called Weekend Warriors. In recent years, Wahlberg has played a variety of roles, including dramas and action films. This year, those roles include a part in the just-released Netflix action-spy movie The Union, as well as the Mel Gibson survival drama Flight Risk. Wahlberg’s other recent titles include Arthur the King, The Family Plan, and Father Stu.

Setting his next project, Deadline reports that Wahlberg is now involved in the upcoming comedy Weekend Warriors. Apple Original Films had scored rights to the project, which will be written and directed by The Perks of Being a Wallflower‘s Stephen Chobsky. Wahlberg is set to star in the project. Weekend Warriors is based on a German-language sports comedy called Weekend Rebels. The English-language version will be produced by Plan B and The SpringHill Company, with producers including Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, LeBron James, Spencer Beighley, and Jamal Henderson.

How Weekend Warriors Will Transform The German Original

The Chobsky Film Will Change The Setting

The German version of the film, Weekend Rebels, was released in 2023 from director Marc Rothemund, and was produced by Wiedemann & Berg Film. Based on the true story of Mirco and Jason von Juterzcenka, the plot focused on the story of a father and his son with autism, the latter of whom is determined to find out what his favorite Premiere Soccer League team is. In order to seek this favoritism, the son requests that his father take him to see matches by every single team available.

Though the Apple original movie is in early development, sources say that it will transition the plot from the soccer environment to basketball, putting Weekend Warriors in an NBA setting. This change would make sense given SpringHill’s involvement, as the entertainment company was co-founded four years ago by James and Maverick Carter. Through the SpringHill connection, Weekend Warriors will probably get some access to NBA teams, making them more easily able to film these scenes. The change in sport will help the comedy film stay relevant to its United States audience.

The changeover in location begs the question of whether James himself will be involved in the cast of the film. As one of the most notable basketball players of the last decade, James playing himself would be an appropriate element of the film. The athlete has turned to acting before, taking roles in the comedy films Trainwreck and House Party. Besides Wahlberg, the cast for Weekend Warriors has yet to be announced, leaving the options open. Perhaps this will mean that James will feature in the film alongside other potential NBC stars.

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Weekend Rebels Needs To Get Its Portrayal Of Autism Right

Weekend Rebels did not receive an incredibly wide international distribution. It made a worldwide box office total of roughly $8.2 million during its run, so not a lot of people had the chance to see and review it. Still, the film has gotten a decent reception among its audiences on IMDb. The film is rated an average of 7.1 out of 10 stars among over 1,000 reviewers. Audiences were mixed on how well the film portrayed people with autism, which the young boy Jason has in the film.

The overall positive reception of Weekend Rebels will put pressure on Weekend Warriors to perform well. Portraying people with autism has been a contentious subject in recent years. Sia’s film Music, for instance, was condemned by much of the autistic community for its choice to have a neurotypical actor in the lead role. Other films, such as this year’s Ezra, have worked hard to right past wrongs and chosen to cast more authentically. As such, Weekend Warrior should make sure to take care with its portrayal of autism so as not to repeat other films’ mistakes.

A Recent Mark Wahlberg Movie Proves He’s Perfect For The Role

Wahlberg Plays A Similar Character In The Family Plan

While Weekend Warriors has not revealed the majority of its cast, the film has chosen a strong lead in Wahlberg. Before his films this year, Wahlberg acted in the Apple TV+ action comedy The Family Plan. The film starred Wahlberg as an assassin-turned-suburban dad who is forced to take his family on the run. The Family Plan was critically panned, getting a 25% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite these negative reviews, however, The Family Plan was a huge streaming success, setting a record for the all-time highest debut for any Apple TV+ original.

Though their plot premises are starkly different, both The Family Plan and Weekend Warriors will see Wahlberg play a middle-aged dad on an unusual mission for his kids. As evidenced by The Family Plan, Wahlberg is capable of showing a great deal of charisma in a role of that type. Wahlberg’s name also likely helped catapult The Family Plan to its huge success. All of these factors bode well for the performance of Weekend Warriors as it continues its development.

Source: Deadline