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Rise, a Disney+ original biographical sports film, will recount the tale of the NBA's star trio, the Antetokounmpo brothers, namely Giannis, Thanasis, and Kostas. The film depicts their ultimate rise to stardom while also focusing on their family struggles and Greek-Nigerian roots. The movie will debut exclusively on the streaming service this Friday, June 24, 2022, at 3 am ET.
The movie comes after the 2021 record-breaking NBA championship title acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Giannis and Thanasis, and Kostas, who had won a championship with the Lakers the season before, becoming the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions.
Inspired by the true events endured by the Antetokounmpo family, Rise will narrate their family history, detailing their struggles after migrating from Nigeria to Greece and the obstacles they face at nearly every turn.
Moving on to Thanasis and Giannis' skills and passion for basketball, the film will ultimately recount the ground-breaking NBA drafting of Giannis, Thanasis, and Kostas as the trio turned out to be the finest in the history of the sport.
However, one question remains unanswered: who will appear in the Disney+ original movie? Let's find out.
Meet the cast of Disney+'s Rise
The narrative of the Antetokounmpo family is one such tale that people have never heard before, combining Nigerian ancestry, Greek identity, and exceptional on-court talents that leave the world in awe.
Rise will take audiences from all corners of the world as they will see how the treasured stars' and their family's ambition, perseverance, and faith helped them ascend from darkness and begin the careers of three NBA champions: the reigning MVP Giannis and his brothers Thanasis and Kostas.
Unlike other films, the casting for Rise was particularly unique as newcomers and real-life brothers Uche and Ral Agada star as Giannis and Thanasis, respectively, making their breakthrough acting debuts.
Meanwhile, Jaden Osimuwa will appear as Kostas and Elijah Sholanke as Alex. They will be joined by Dayo Okeniyi's Charles (the father) and Yetide Badaki's Vera (the mother), completing the entire Antetokounmpo family.
Furthermore, Manish Dayal will play Giannis' relentless agent Kevin, and Taylor Nichols will appear as John Hammond, the Milwaukee Bucks' general manager.
According to reports, the remaining cast members include:
- McColm Cephas Jr. as Young Giannis
- Chinua Baraka Payne as Young Thanasis
- Aaron Kingsley Adetola as Young Kostas
- Jake Schwencke as NBA Scount
- Nicolas Politis as NBC Scout
More about the Disney+ original film Rise
Helmed by Akin Omotoso, written by Arash Amel and produced by Bernie Goldmann, reports state that for the creation of Rise, Giannis Antetokounmpo himself participated as an executive producer alongside Douglas S. Jones.
While speaking about the film, the NBA star reportedly said:
"I am thrilled and honored that Disney Plus is bringing my family’s story to people all over the world. My hope is that it will inspire those in similar circumstances to keep the faith, stay true to their goals and not to give up on striving for a better life."
The official synopsis of the upcoming film states:
"After emigrating to Greece from Nigeria, Vera and Charles Antetokounmpo struggled to survive and provide for their five children, while living under the daily threat of deportation. With their oldest son still in Nigeria with relatives, the couple were desperate to obtain Greek citizenship but found themselves undermined by a system that blocked them at every turn.
"When they weren’t selling items to tourists on the streets of Athens with the rest of the family, encouraged by their father, the brothers would sneak away to play basketball with a local youth team. Latecomers to the sport, they discovered their great abilities on the basketball court and worked hard to become world-class athletes. With the help of an agent, Giannis entered the NBA Draft in 2013 in a long-shot prospect that would change not only his life but the life of his entire family."
Rise will premiere on June 24, 2022, exclusively on Disney+.
