Disney announced a slew of projects on Thursday as part of the Disney Investor Day. Many revelations focused on sports-centric movies and shows, including an upcoming basketball series. John Stamos and Yvette Nicole Brown will headline Big Shot.
According to Deadline, this upcoming one-hour dramedy will feature 10 episodes. Stamos will star as a temperamental college basketball coach who gets fired from his job. He has to take a teaching and coaching job at an “elite all-girls private high school.” Brown and Jessalyn Gilsig (Vikings) will co-star in prominent roles.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Big Shot is a celebration of girl power, set in the world of high school basketball. 🏀 Starring @JohnStamos, @YNB, and @JessalynGilsig, Big Shot packs in big fun. Coming soon to @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/2CfOMOmXba
— Disney (@Disney) December 10, 2020
“John is absolutely perfect for this role, and we are thrilled that he’ll bring his incredible talent and heart to this project,” said Agnes Chu, SVP Content at Disney+, per Deadline. “Disney has long been known for our aspirational sports stories, and we are so proud to be working with David and Dean on a relatable series that both inspires and entertains. It’s a great fit for Disney+.”
Gilsig will play the school’s “good-humored and down-to-earth” assistant basketball coach, a woman named Holly. She replaced Shiri Appleby in the role in October. This casting marked her return to a regular TV series role after portraying Siggy Haraldson on Vikings.
David E. Kelley and Dean Lorey serve as writers and executive producers on Big Shot, per Deadline. ABC Studios, a part of Disney Television Studios, will produce the project. Brad Garrett, who previously worked with Lorey on ‘Til Death, originally pitched the idea to Kelley. He will also serve as an executive producer.
Disney+ originally gave a series order in October 2019, officially putting the show into production. The cast and crew worked on Big Shot but had to temporarily stop in November. A crew member tested positive for COVID-19 during a regular series of testing. However, the result was actually a “false-positive.”
In addition to providing more information about Big Shot, Disney also announced multiple other sports projects. The list included Greek Freak, the story of Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as a film about UCLA coach Keanon Lowe, the football coach who prevented a school shooting. Disney also announced that a Chris Paul biopic is currently in the works.
