Hollywood power couple Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are executive producing the upcoming faith-based football drama Woodlawn, according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter.
Woodlawn, which hits theaters October 16th, is based on true events surrounding the 1974 Banks vs. Woodlawn football game at Birmingham’s Legion Field. It still holds the record for largest attendance at an Alabama high school football game. The film follows Woodlawn running back Tony Nathan’s recruitment by famed University of Alabama Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant during a period when the state was still embroiled in racial tensions.
Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are a husband and wife producing team best known for their miniseries The Bible, which reached 100 million viewers when it premiered in 2013 on Easter Sunday. They were recently ranked third on Newsmax’s annual list of the most influential Christian leaders in America.
“The goal of all of our faith-based projects has been to spotlight the power and goodness of God,” Downey told The Hollywood Reporter. “Woodlawn fits that bill perfectly.”
Burnett’s other hits include reality shows like Survivor, Shark Tank, The Voice and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? He won an Emmy earlier this week for outstanding reality competition program for The Voice.
Alabama-based filmmakers Jon and Andy Erwin directed Woodlawn, which stars Jon Voight and Sean Astin.
The official trailer for the film can be viewed in the video below, followed by a preview of Jon Voight as Bear Bryant.
WOODLAWN TRAILER:
JON VOIGHT AS BEAR BRYANT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSswVHtPXMI
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— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) June 9, 2015
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