'Rise' on Disney+: Screenplay writer Arash Amel was rejected dozen times before finding success
For all avid sports film fans, Disney+ is bringing to the screens the much-awaited sports-based film ‘Rise’. The story typically in sports films is usually not just sports but also their entire journey which always makes fans intrigued to watch it. The screenplay has been written by noted Hollywood film writer Arash Amel. The film has been helmed by Akin Omotoso whilst Antetokounmpo serves as the executive producer and has been produced by Bernie Goldmann. 'Rise’ has been developed by Walt Disney Studios and is all set to release on June 24, 2022.
The plot of the film is based on the incredible story of three super talented brothers from Africa who work exceptionally hard to make their dream of becoming NBA league stars come true with their persistence and determination. It is a story of their adventurous journey to becoming who they are. Whilst the film is all set to release on Disney+ in the next few days, fans can also watch sports-based films and series like ‘Hustle’, ‘Gensan Punch’ and ‘Bad Sport’.
RELATED ARTICLES
'Gensan Punch': 5 things you need to know about HBO Max sports drama
'Hustle' Review: Adam Sandler balls out in earnest and uplifting Netflix sports drama
In an interview with BusinessInsider.com the last month, opening up on how he always had this zeal and passion for becoming a Hollywood screenwriter, Arash Amel said, “For me, since I was 14, I wanted to be a Hollywood screenwriter”.
Sharing about how he kept sending his screenplays to various London agents and after thirteen rejected screenplays, his fourteenth one ‘Nation State’ was finally liked by an agent in 2005, Arash said, “Every time someone was saying no to me, it just kind of drove the hunger more. That's part of nature's process of weeding out, Do you really want this? Do you really want to be here? Because the reality of it is when you actually get through the curtain, up the mountain, there's another curtain, or another mountain. I found my first little glimmer of my voice with the ‘Nation State’”.
One of his ‘King Tut’ films that he wrote for 20th Century Fox never got made but the script he wrote about Grace Kelly eventually paved its way into the 2011 Black List, an annual survey of the best-liked undeveloped scripts circulating around Hollywood. Even though it was not his big-screen debut back then, but ‘Nation State’, one of his earliest scripts eventually found its way to North American cinemas as ‘Erased’. Similarly, in 2013 Amel's ‘Grace of Monaco’ which starred Nicole Kidman had opened the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.
Talking about ‘Grace Of Monaco’ Arash added, “Opportunities have to come your way but you also have to be ready. There is a fallacy that they'll say, 'Come and write Top Gun 2', but unless you have worked your way up to be someone who is capable of taking that much responsibility, you won't be prepared to make the most of the chance. I wasn't ready in terms of the scale of what I'd written”.
‘Rise’ has been a meaningful film for him because Arash’s father is flying to the US to see it. Before leaving Iran at the onset of the revolution that took place in the late 1970s, Amel's father had worked as an executive producer at a TV station in Iran making hard-hitting social documentaries.
Concluding the interview, Arash said, “Rise' is a culmination of a journey for him. Because of the revolution, he stopped doing his work, ended up with two kids, and moved to a new country. There is a little bit of closing the loop and being able to show my dad Look, this is where the 30-year journey has ended up.”
Other cast members for ‘Rise’ includes Uche Agada, Ral Agada, Yetide Badaki, Jaden Osimuva, Elijah Shomanke, Anthony Abiola, Manish Dayal, and Taylor Nichols.
Rise to release on June 24, 2022, on Disney+.
Trailer
The official trailer of the film is out now. you can also watch it here.