''Unstoppable'' is a 2024 American

biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or c ...

sports drama film A sports film is a film genre in which any particular sport plays a prominent role in the film's plot or acts as its central theme. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport (and the sp ...

about

Anthony Robles Anthony Robles (born July 15, 1988) is an American wrestler who won the 2010–11 NCAA individual wrestling championship in the 125-pound weight class despite being born with only one leg. He is the author of the book ''Unstoppable: From Underdog ...

, a wrestler who was born without a leg and overcomes obstacles to become a

NCAA Division I wrestling champion The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships have been held annually since 1928, except for a hiatus in 1943–45 during World War II and in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 1928 and from 1931–1933, there was only an unofficial team tit ...

. The film is directed by

William Goldenberg William Goldenberg (born November 2, 1959) is an American film editor. He has more than twenty film and television credits since 1992. He won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the film '' Argo'' (2012), and has been nominated for '' The ...

and written by Eric Champnella, Alex Harris and John Hindman, based on the 2012 book by Robles and

Austin Murphy Austin John Murphy (born June 17, 1927) is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1977 to 1995. Born in North Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Murphy grew up in New London, Connecticut. He later returned t ...

. The film stars

Jharrel Jerome Jharrel Jerome (born October 9, 1997) is an American actor and rapper who is best known for appearing in Barry Jenkins's acclaimed drama film ''Moonlight'' (2016), and for portraying Korey Wise in Ava DuVernay's Netflix miniseries '' When They S ...

as Robles, and the supporting cast includes Jennifer Lopez,

Bobby Cannavale Roberto Michael Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for various television roles, including leading roles in '' Third Watch'', '' Vinyl'', and '' Mr. Robot'', as well as recurring roles in '' Will & Grace'', whic ...

Michael Peña Michael Anthony Peña (; ; born January 13, 1976) is an American actor. He has starred in many films, including ''Crash'' (2004), ''World Trade Center'' (2006), ''Shooter'' (2007), '' Observe and Report'' (2009), '' Tower Heist'' (2011), '' Battle ...

, and

Don Cheadle Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (; born November 29, 1964) is an American actor. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also earned no ...

. ''Unstoppable'' had its premiere in the Special Presentations section at the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...

on September 6, 2024, followed by a

limited theatrical release __FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unit ...

on December 6, 2024 by

Amazon MGM Studios Amazon MGM Studios, formerly Amazon Studios in some markets, is an American film and television production and distribution studio owned by Amazon and launched on November 16, 2010. It took its current name on October 3, 2023, following its merger ...

, and debuted on

Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pr ...

on January 16, 2025.

Plot

Anthony Robles, born without a right leg, grows up in

Mesa, Arizona Mesa ( ) is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the most populous city in the East Valley section of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by Tempe on the west, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community ...

, raised by his mother, Judy Robles. Despite societal prejudice and physical challenges, Anthony develops a resilient spirit. In high school, he discovers a passion for wrestling and joins the school team. Although initially doubted by coaches and teammates, he becomes a formidable competitor through determination and relentless training. After high school, Anthony plans to wrestle at the collegiate level. He receives a scholarship offer from

Drexel University Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Ar ...

but chooses to attend

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in t ...

(ASU) to stay closer to his family. He joins the wrestling team as a walk-on, earning a spot despite initial skepticism from his coaches. Balancing the physical demands of Division I wrestling and personal struggles at home, Anthony faces numerous obstacles. His stepfather exhibits abusive behavior, adding tension to his family life. However, Anthony draws strength from his mother's unwavering support and belief in his abilities. At ASU, Anthony trains rigorously, refining his skills and improving his performance. Over time, he becomes a key member of the wrestling team, earning recognition for his accomplishments. He qualifies for the NCAA Wrestling Championships, where he competes in the 125-pound weight class. In his senior year, Anthony reaches the 2011 NCAA Wrestling Championships and faces a highly skilled, top-seeded opponent from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 coll ...

. In a hard-fought match, Anthony demonstrates remarkable technique, focus, and resilience. Against the odds, he defeats his opponent and secures the national championship title. The film concludes by highlighting Anthony’s achievements beyond college. He becomes a motivational speaker and a wrestling coach, using his story to inspire others to overcome their challenges. The final scenes emphasize his legacy as an athlete who defied expectations and achieved success through perseverance, family support, and relentless dedication.

Cast

* Jennifer Lopez as Judy Robles *

as Bobby Williams *

as Shawn Charles *

as Rich Robles *

Mykelti Williamson Mykelti Williamson (born March 4, 1957) is an American actor best known for his roles in the films '' Forrest Gump'', '' Con Air'' and '' Ali'', and the television shows ''Boomtown'', '' 24'', and '' Justified''. In 2016, he portrayed Gabriel Ma ...

as Eddie *

Shawn Hatosy Shawn Wayne Hatosy is an American film and television actor and director. He is best known for his roles in the films '' In & Out'', ''The Faculty'', '' Outside Providence'', '' Anywhere but Here'', ''The Cooler'', and ''Alpha Dog''. He is also w ...

Tom Brands Tom Brands (born April 9, 1968) is an American former Olympic wrestler and is currently the head coach of the University of Iowa men's wrestling team. He won a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics. An intense competitor, Brands' wrestling c ...

* Parker Sack as Dorian * Chimechi Oparanozie as Brian Corwin * Jordan Wallace as Walker * Benjamin Barrett as Solis * Corey Jantzen as Markarian * Shane Sparks as himself

Production

In April 2014, David Crockett and Andy Fraser acquired the rights to produce a film adaptation of

's 2012 autobiography ''Unstoppable: From Underdog To Undefeated: How I Became A Champion'', with Eric Champnella writing the script. In September 2018,

Jason Mitchell Jason Mitchell (born January 5, 1987) is an American actor. Mitchell started his career acting in minor roles in films such as the action-thriller ''Contraband'' (2012), and the neo-noir '' Broken City'' (2013). He is best known for portraying ...

was cast as Robles. In November 2019, 101 Studios acquired the rights to the film, with

Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the develop ...

and

Dany Garcia Dany Garcia (born November 29, 1968) is an American businesswoman, film producer, and IFBB professional bodybuilder. Garcia is the founder of GSTQ, and the CEO and chair of The Garcia Companies and TGC Management, overseeing a portfolio of bran ...

set to produce under their

Seven Bucks Productions Seven Bucks Productions is a production company involved with various platforms and mediums, credited with creating original releases for television, film, emerging technologies, and digital networks. The studio was co-created and founded by Dwa ...

banner. The project was once again announced in March 2023, with

as director in his directorial debut. Goldenberg has collaborated with filmmaker

Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...

as a film editor for ''

Gone Baby Gone ''Gone Baby Gone'' is a 2007 American crime thriller film directed by Ben Affleck, in his directorial debut. Affleck co-wrote the screenplay with Aaron Stockard based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film stars Casey Affle ...

'', '' Argo'', ''

Live by Night ''Live by Night'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 2012. It won a 2013 Edgar Award for novel of the year. Plot summary By 1926, Prohibition in the United States gives rise to an endless network of underground ...

'', and ''

Air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

''. Affleck and

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among '' Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Amer ...

served as producers through the Artists Equity banner. It was also announced that Jennifer Lopez would star in the film, with

playing Robles, replacing Mitchell.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...

began in Los Angeles in May 2023, but was halted two weeks later due to the

2023 Writers Guild of America strike From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). With a duration of 148 days, the ...

. On December 12, 2023, principal photography resumed after the end of the

2023 SAG-AFTRA strike From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors' union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) was on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Produce ...

, with

, and

joining the cast. On January 14, 2024, it was announced that principal photography had wrapped. In post-production, Jerome's right leg was digitally removed.

Release

''Unstoppable'' had its premiere as part of the Gala section of the

on September 6, 2024. The film was given a limited theatrical release by

on December 6, 2024. It will be streamed on

on January 16, 2025. The Los Angeles premiere of the film, originally scheduled for January 7, 2025 at the DGA Theater, was cancelled due to the

Palisades Fire The Palisades Fire was a wildfire that burned in Topanga State Park, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, California on May 14, 2021. The fire burned a total of and was fully contained on May 26, 2021. Events T ...

Reception

Box office

''Unstoppable'' grossed $3,966 during its opening weekend in the UK, placing 55th at the box office among all films showing at the time.

Critical response

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, which uses a weighted average, the film holds a score of 64 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Michael Mann Michael Kenneth Mann (born February 5, 1943) is an American film director, director, screenwriter, and Film producer, producer of film and television who is best known for his distinctive style of crime drama. His most acclaimed works include ...

chose ''Unstoppable'' as his favorite film of 2024 for a Directors Picks article in ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

''.

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{Ben Affleck 2024 biographical drama films 2024 directorial debut films 2020s American films 2020s English-language films 2020s sports drama films Amazon MGM Studios films Amazon Prime Video original films American biographical drama films American sports drama films American wrestling films Artists Equity films Biographical films about sportspeople English-language biographical drama films English-language sports drama films Films about amputees Films about disability in the United States Films affected by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike Films affected by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike Films based on memoirs Films produced by Ben Affleck Films scored by Alexandre Desplat Films set in Maricopa County, Arizona Films set in Philadelphia Films set in Arizona Films shot in Los Angeles Nuyorican Productions films Sport wrestling films Sports drama films based on actual events