Mark Wahlberg to Star in Movie "Weekend Warriors"

Apple Original Films has landed the hot package "Weekend Warriors," a new feature written and directed by Stephen Chbosky, with Mark Wahlberg attached to star.

Plan B and The SpringHill Company are set to produce the project, which Apple Studios will develop and produce. Insiders say the film is in early development.

The project is based on the 2023 pic "Weekend Rebels", an original German-language sports comedy-drama based on the true story of Mirco and Jason von Juterzcenka. 

The story follows a father and his autistic son, who wants to find a favorite Premiere League soccer club and makes his father take him to see every single team so he can decide. The new version is said to take place in the NBA given the SpringHill ties.

Sources say SpringHill has been spearheading the package given the uplifting story, and after a trailer for the pic was recently played at a WME talent meeting (the agency reps SpringHill, Wahlberg and Chbosky) it wasn’t long before Whalberg and Chbosky attached themselves to the package.

The remake will be produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner for Plan B, and Spencer Beighley, LeBron James and Jamal Henderson for SpringHill. SpringHill co-founder Maverick Carter will executive produce along with Michelle Wilens. Hailing from Apple Studios. 

"Weekend Warriors" will be made in association with Wiedemann & Berg Film. Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann will executive produce on behalf of Wiedemann & Berg.

The original film was also produced by Wiedemann & Berg Film, part of Leonine Studios, written by Richard Kropf and directed by Marc Rothemund. Wiedemann & Berg and Leonine are Mediawan companies.

"Weekend Warriors" marks the second collaboration for Apple Original Films and Wahlberg, who recently starred in "The Family Plan", which premiered as the most-watched movie on Apple TV+, blowing away viewing records for the streamer.

Wahlberg was most recently seen in the Netflix action comedy "The Union", where he stars opposite Halle Berry. The film bowed this past weekend and landed in the Netflix Top 10 movie list. Next up he has the Lionsgate thriller "Flight Risk" and Amazon MGM Studios thriller "Play Dirty". 

He is currently filming the Peter Farrelly comedy "Balls Up" for Amazon MGM and Skydance.