Adam Sandler is aiming high with Hustle, an upcoming sports drama that he co-produced with basketball royalty LeBron James. The film is directed by Jeremiah Zagar and will be released on Netflix next month.
The trailer hits many of the notes that you’d expect to see in a film like this. A down-and-out protagonist with something to prove? Check. A disintegrating personal life? Check. A ticket to success within sight and a clear path laid out before him? Check, and check. Sandler plays basketball scout Stanley Sugerman, a man who really loves the game, but after so many years in the business, is beginning to feel that the game might not love him back.
No longer a spring chicken, Stanley is presented with one last opportunity to prove himself, and perhaps embark on the coaching career that he seems to covet. He goes on the road and discovers a once-in-a-generation talent named Bo Cruz, whom he immediately takes under his wing. But the journey to the top isn’t going to be easy. On the path in front of them are naysayers and bureaucrats, rivals, and a ticking clock.
It isn’t immediately clear if Hustle is going to be a Sandler vehicle or if Bo (NBA player Juancho Hernangómez) is the protagonist. But what is clear is that the two-and-a-half-minute trailer reveals a large chunk of the film’s plot, including the various setbacks that Stanley and Bo encounter along the way.
It’s also quite apparent that this is going to be a toned-down Sandler performance, as opposed to the broad comedies that the actor is perhaps best known for. In addition to blockbuster hits such as The Longest Yard and You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, Sandler has also appeared in awards favorites such as Uncut Gems, Punch Drunk Love, The Meyerowitz Stories, and Funny People.
Also starring Queen Latifah, Ben Foster, Kenny Smith, Anthony Edwards, Jordan Hull, Maria Botto, Ainhoa Pillet, Raul Castillo, Jaleel White, Heidi Gardner, and Robert Duvall, Hustle is written by Taylor Materne and Will Fetters. Allen Covert, Joe Roth, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Zack Roth, and Maverick Carter produce alongside Sandler and James. Materne, Fetters, Judit Maull, Dave Meyers, Spencer Beighley, Jamal Henderson, Barry Bernardi, and Kevin Grady serve as executive producers.
Hustle is slated for a June 8 release. You can watch the trailer down below.
Here’s the official synopsis for Hustle:
Stanley Sugerman’s (Adam Sandler) love for basketball is unparalleled, but the travel weary Philadelphia 76ers scout who has higher ambitions of being a coach remains stuck on the road looking for the next unknown talent. His search around the world leads him to Spain, when he discovers Bo Cruz (NBA player Juancho Hernangómez), an incredible streetball player with a troubled past. Stanley and Bo connect on and off the court, with their passion for the game and as loving family men who want to prove they can win, in basketball and in life. With the support of Stanley’s wife, Teresa (Queen Latifah), can the underdogs come out on top? HUSTLE, an inspirational drama, co-stars Ben Foster, Kenny Smith, Anthony Edwards, and Tobias Harris, is directed by Jeremiah Zagar and is produced by Sandler, Allen Covert, Joe Roth, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Zack Roth, LeBron James and Maverick Carter.
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