Dennis Quaid, Virginia Madsen Plus More Board ‘Kurt Warner’ Biopic From Lionsgate And Kingdom Story Company

Amanda N'Duka
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Golden Globe nominee Dennis Quaid and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen have signed on for the Jon Erwin and Andrew Erwin-directed sports drama, American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, along with Ser’Darius Blain, Adam Baldwin, Bruce McGill, Danny Vinson, Chance Kelly, and Hayden Zaller. The new additions join Zachary Levi in the role of Kurt Warner and Anna Paquin as Brenda Warner.

David Aaron Cohen, Jon Gunn, and Jon Erwin penned the screenplay based on interviews with Warner as well as Warner’s memoir, All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football and the First Miracle Season. The pic chronicles Kurt’s journey from stocking shelves at a supermarket to becoming a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Hall of Fame quarterback.

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Quaid will play St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeil, while Kelly playing the Rams’ offensive coordinator (and later, head coach), Mike Martz. Madsen will play Sue Warner, Kurt’s mother, and Blain will play Kurt’s best friend, Mike Hudnutt. Vinson is play Larry, Brenda’s father, and Zaller will play Zack, Brenda’s son. Baldwin will portray Terry Allen, Warner’s coach at the University of Northern Iowa and McGill is Jim Foster, owner of the Arena Football League’s Iowa Barnstormers, where Warner signs on his way to rebuilding his NFL career

The Erwin Brothers and Kevin Downes are producing under their Kingdom Story Company banner, along with The Rookie and Million Dollar Arm producer Mark Ciardi. Kurt Warner and Brenda Warner will co-produce with Jim Miller and Chelsea Kujawa overseeing the film for Lionsgate, which is distributing.

Quaid’s upcoming projects include the biopic Reagan, directed by Sean McNamara, and The Tiger Rising, opposite Katharine McPhee and Queen Latifah. He’s repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners, UTA, and Hansen Jacobsen. Madsen, repped by Buchwald and Untitled, will star in the upcoming Lionsgate film The Devil’s Light.

Blain’s credits include the Jumanji franchise and CW’s Charmed revival. He’s repped by Paradigm, Management 360, and Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman. Baldwin, whose credits include Full Metal Jacket, The Last Ship, and The Patriot, is repped by A3 Artists Agency and A Management Company. McGill, who has recently appeared in Ride Along 2 and The Best of Enemies, is repped by Artists & Representatives. Trinity Talent reps Vinson, whose credits include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries. Kelly, who can currently be seen recurring on ABC’s For Life, is repped by KMR Talent and The Rosenzweig Group.

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