'12 Mighty Orphans' Movie Is Not Just Another Football Movie Says Director Ty Roberts & Martin Sheen
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Created: Wednesday, 16 June 2021 23:55
- Published: Thursday, 17 June 2021 00:36
- Written by Lupe R Haas
12 MIGHTY ORPHANS is not just a football movie in the vein of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and other football movies, according to director Ty Roberts and star Martin Sheen. 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS is based on the true story of Texas football coach Rusty Russell's (played by Luke Wilson) formation of a football team at an orphanage whose team went all the way to the playoffs.
12 MIGHTY ORPHANS is coming to movie theaters Friday, June 18.
Luke Wilson Talks '12 Mighty Orphans' and Playing Football Coach Hero Rusty Russell
Based on the Book by Jim Dent, the movie adaptation stars Luke Wilson as Rusty Russel, Martin Sheen as Doc Hall, Vinessa Shaw, Wayne Knight, Jake Austin Walker, Treat Williams, Ron White, and Robert Duvall.
Official Synopsis
12 MIGHTY ORPHANS tells the true story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who, during the Great Depression, went from playing without shoes—or even a football—to playing for the Texas state championships. Over the course of their winning season these underdogs and their resilient spirit became an inspiration to their city, state, and an entire nation in need of a rebound, even catching the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The architect of their success was Rusty Russell, a legendary high school coach who shocked his colleagues by giving up a privileged position so he could teach and coach at an orphanage. Few knew Rusty's secret: that he himself was an orphan. Recognizing that his scrawny players couldn't beat the other teams with brawn, Rusty developed innovative strategies that would come to define modern football.