''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 Harry Gerard Bissinger III, also known as Buzz Bissinger and H. G. Bissinger (born November 1, 1954) is an American journalist and author, best known for his 1990 non-fiction book '' Friday Night Lights''. He is a longtime contributing editor at ...

. 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.

Cast

* Mookie Cook as LeBron James * Caleb McLaughlin as

Dru Joyce III Dru Joyce III (born January 29, 1985) is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is an associate head coach for the Duquesne Dukes men’s team. His coaching career began in 2019–20 with the Cleveland State Vikings men' ...

* Algee Smith as Illya McGee *

Dermot Mulroney Dermot Mulroney (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in romantic comedy, western, and drama films. Appearing on screen since 1986, he is known for his work in various films such as '' Young Guns'' (1988), '' Stay ...

Keith Dambrot Keith Brett Dambrot (born October 26, 1958) is an American college basketball coach and the current men's basketball head coach of Duquesne University. During his high school head coaching career, he coached future NBA star LeBron James for two ye ...

* Wood Harris as

Dru Joyce II Dru Joyce II, known as “Coach Dru,” is a high school basketball coach. He is the founder of the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association, a subject of the documentary More than a Game, author of the book “Beyond Championships: A Playbook for Win ...

* Natalie Paul as Gloria James * Katlyn Nichol as Savannah James * Avery Wills as Willie McGee *

Scoot Henderson Sterling "Scoot" Henderson (born February 3, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for Carlton J. Kell High School in his hometown of Marietta, ...

Romeo Travis Romeo Travis (born December 10, 1984) is an American-born naturalized Macedonian professional basketball player who last played for Limoges CSP of the LNB Pro A. He played college basketball for the University of Akron. High school career Travis ...

* Khalil Everage as Sian Cotton *

Jett Howard Jett Howard (born September 14, 2003) is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the point guard and shooting guard positions for college and the NBA. He played 20 ...

as Carmelo Anthony

Production

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

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

Release

''Shooting Stars'' premiered on Peacock on June 2, 2023. In the Philippines, the film was released on HBO Go on November 25, 2023.

Reception

Matt Zoller Seitz of

RogerEbert.com ''RogerEbert.com'' is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the ''Chicago Sun-Times' ...

gave the film four out of four stars, stating that "When a movie loves its characters and story as much as this one, and dedicates every aspect of filmmaking and performance to doing them justice, and consistently puts virtuosity in service of meaning, the result conjures a feeling that's close to what you experience when someone you adore has a great and richly deserved success, and you're privileged to be able to witness it and cheer them on."

References

External links

{{Peacock (streaming service) 2023 biographical drama films 2020s American films 2020s English-language films 2020s high school films 2020s sports drama films American basketball films American biographical drama films American high school films American sports drama films Biographical films about sportspeople Cultural depictions of basketball players Films about high school sports Films based on memoirs Films directed by Chris Robinson (director) Films scored by Mark Isham Films set in 2003 Films set in Akron, Ohio Films shot in Cleveland LeBron James Peacock (streaming service) original films SpringHill Entertainment English-language biographical drama films