‘Greek Freak’: Feature Film About Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Star Giannis Antetokounmpo In Development For Disney+

Click here to read the full article.

EXCLUSIVE: A feature film about Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was named the NBA’s MVP in June, is in the works for Disney+.

The upcoming streaming service has put Greek Freak (w/t), which will look at Antetokounmpo’s early life and current career, into development from Disney’s live-action film division.

More from Deadline

• WME Adds Top Basketball Coach And Front Office Rep Bret Just To Sports Department

• 'Ant-Man 3' Cleared For Takeoff As Peyton Reed Returns

• 'Big Shot': Shiri Appleby, Yvette Nicole Brown Among Cast Set For Disney+ Dramedy Series

Deadline understands that former Disney and Village Roadshow Pictures exec Bernie Goldman, who produced Zack Snyder’s 300, will produce from a script from Arash Amel, writer of Rosamund Pike and Jamie Dornan’s A Private War.

Antetokounmpo had an interesting early life; he was born in Athens, Greece as the son of Nigerian immigrants. However, due to Greek laws, he did not automatically receive full Greek citizenship and was effectively stateless until he was 18.

He started out playing in the Greek basketball league before moving to Spanish team CAI Zaragoza. In 2013, he made himself available for the NBA Draft and was chosen as a first-round pick, 15^th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. In the 2016/17 season, he led the Bucks in all stats categories and became the first player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 across total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He received Most Improved Player in 2017.

Sports insiders suggest that he is expected to sign a supermax contract extension next summer, which could be worth around $250M, the largest contract in NBA history, unless he decides to test out the free-agency market.

The project, named after his nickname, is the latest feature film from Disney’s live-action film group for Disney+ following deals for Lady and the Tramp, Stargirl, Togo and Timmy Failure, and theatrical hits such as Aladdin and Lion King.

Goldman’s other credits include Relativity’s Snow White, Fool’s Gold, Taking Lives, and Land of the Dead, while Amel also wrote Scott Waugh-directed Project X-Traction, starring Jackie Chan and John Cena for release next year.

Goldman is represented by Behr, Abramson, Levy, Amel is repped by Grandview and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light.

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.