Following the recent remake of House Party, LeBron James again takes his talents to Hollywood, and this time he's doing so with the film Shooting Stars, a project based on his book of the same name. The story follows his time growing up in Akron with his friends and their desire to use basketball and their bond to triumph in life when circumstances are stacked against them.
While there is much debate about where his name falls on the all-time greats list in the NBA, real basketball fans acknowledge that James is one of the best to ever step onto a court. Having broken several records, earning four championship titles and building a brand worth somewhere in the billions, his legacy is firmly cemented in history. Making Shooting Stars a must-see 2023 movie.
Here's everything we know about the film.
Shooting Stars release date
Shooting Stars premieres exclusively in the US on Friday, June 2, on Peacock. For those hoping to stream the film, you’ll need a Peacock subscription. Currently, the platform offers a few different options for would-be subscribers.
At this time, we don't have official word as to when the film debuts in the UK. However, as we hear of more information about a UK release, we'll pass along the update.
Shooting Stars trailer
On May 19, Peacock debuted the official trailer for the movie. You can watch it just below.
Here's a look at the teaser trailer for the film with Lebron James himself narrating the clip.
Shooting Stars plot
Here is the official synopsis of the film:
"Shooting Stars is set in the 1990s, where a young LeBron James (Cook) and his three best friends — Lil Dru (Caleb McLaughlin, Stranger Things), Willie McGee (Avery S. Wills, Jr., Swagger) and Sian Cotton (Khalil Everage, Cobra Kai) — declare themselves the 'Fab Four,' after the famed Michigan Wolverines' 'Fab Five' of that era. From the moment we meet them, we realize this group of friends, under the guidance of coach Dru Joyce (Wood Harris; Creed franchise), is connected by more than basketball.
"So, when the coach at the top basketball school in their district threatens to separate them by putting Lil Dru on junior varsity, the Fab Four decide to switch schools to be able to play varsity together, joining the team at a predominantly white Catholic school instead. The community takes this as an insult, but the boys' dedication to each other is more important than anything else.
"With their new coach (Dermot Mulroney; August: Osage County), a disgraced former college coach seeking redemption of his own, the boys, along with former rival and new teammate Romeo Travis (newcomer Sterling 'Scoot' Henderson), will face battles not only on the court but in real life, in their quest to become national champs, and will rediscover that what matters most about the game is the people playing beside you."
Shooting Stars cast
Making his film debut as a young LeBron James is Marquis "Mookie" Cook. Although Cook is a novice in the acting world, he has quite a bit of experience playing basketball. Not only is he a top-ranked player among high school athletes and a teammate of James' son Bronny, but he also played in 2023's All American game.
Joining Cook in Shooting Stars as Lil Dru is Caleb McLaughlin. Many will recognize McLaughlin from his role as Lucas in Stranger Things. He's also been spotted in Concrete Cowboy, The New Edition Story and High Flying Bird.
Rounding out the rest of the cast are Avery S. Wills, Jr (Swagger), Khalil Everage (Cobra Kai), Wood Harris (Creed III), Dermot Mulroney (Scream VI) and Sterling "Scoot" Henderson.
Shooting Stars director
Chris Robinson directed the movie. Robinson has directed many projects in Hollywood in both television and film. His credits include episodes of Grown-ish, Woke and Wu-Tang: An American Saga, along with the movies ATL and The New Edition Story.
