Weinsteins pick Whitaker to lead the ‘Patriots’

Studio-helmer Tim Story (Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver
Surfer) has been tapped to direct and Forest Whitaker will headline The Weinstein Company‘s contemporary sports drama (industry says that we need at least 5 projects of the such in a given year – yeesh). Written by Robert Eisele, Patriots  would see Whitaker would play Al Collins,
basketball coach for John Ehret High in Marrero, La., who led his Patriots to
the state championship a year after Katrina ravaged the school and displaced
many of its students. Collins’ team consisted of 10 players who attended five
different schools before the disaster.

Variety reports that the project will be produced by IAM Entertainment’s Raymond Brothers and Scott
Glassgold, along with Story. Brothers had optioned the coach’s life rights. He, Story and Eisele
developed the script together.