Champions (2023 film)

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Champions
Champions xlg.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bobby Farrelly
Screenplay byMark Rizzo
Based on
Campeones
by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyC. Kim Miles
Edited byJulie Garcés
Music by Michael Franti
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • February 27, 2023 (2023-02-27)(Lincoln Square)
  • March 10, 2023 (2023-03-10)(United States)
Running time
124 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$19.2 million [2] [3]

Champions is a 2023 American sports comedy drama film directed by Bobby Farrelly in his solo directorial debut, from a screenplay written by Mark Rizzo. It is an English-language remake of the 2018 Spanish film of the same name. The film stars Woody Harrelson as a temperamental minor-league basketball coach who, after an arrest, must coach a team of players with disabilities as community service. Kaitlin Olson, Ernie Hudson, and Cheech Marin also star.

Contents

Champions was released in the United States on March 10, 2023, by Focus Features. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $19 million.

Plot

Marcus Marakovich, a hot-headed assistant coach for a minor league basketball team in Iowa, gets fired after shoving the head coach and later crashing into a police car while drunk. Given the choice between jail or community service, he chooses to coach a team of players with learning disabilities, *The Friends*.

Initially resistant, Marcus begins to bond with the team and reconnects with Alex, the sister of one player, Johnny—who he previously had a fling with. As Marcus learns to care about the players and their lives, his attitude shifts. He tries to use the team’s success as a stepping stone to the NBA, but after a series of personal revelations and missteps—including hurting Johnny and being manipulative—he changes course.

In the face of funding issues and personal struggles, the team makes it to the Special Olympics finals. Though they lose, they consider themselves champions thanks to Marcus’s growth and their own perseverance.

Marcus declines an NBA offer, stays in town, and begins coaching at Drake University. He and Alex start dating, and Johnny moves in with friends. In a post-credit scene, Showtime finally lands his signature backward shot.

Cast

The Friends

Production

Principal photography took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, from November to December 2021, with some scenes being filmed in Albany, New York, United States. [6] Extras were sought with a casting call through St. Amant, a non-profit organization that works with Manitobans who have developmental disabilities and autism. [7]

Release

Champions was originally scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on March 24, 2023, by Focus Features, opposite Lionsgate's John Wick: Chapter 4 . [8] In January 2023, the release date was moved to March 10, 2023. [9] [2] [10] The film had its red carpet premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Theatre in New York on February 27, 2023. [11]

The film was released digitally on March 28, [2] [10] followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on May 2. [12]

The movie has also been remade in Hindi as Sitaare Zameen Par starring Aamir Khan as the lead, scheduled to release on 20 June 2025. [13]

Reception

Box office

Champions grossed $16.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $2.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $19.2 million. [3] [2]

In the United States and Canada, Champions was released alongside Scream VI and 65 , and was projected to gross around $5 million from 3,030 theatres in its opening weekend. [14] The film made $1.8 million on its first day. It went on to debut to $5.2 million, finishing in seventh. [15] It made $3 million in its second weekend, finishing in eighth. [16]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 59% of 128 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.The website's consensus reads: "Although its apparent attempts to be uplifting can often come across as patronizing, Champions is an amiable enough comedy with some seriously talented stars." [10] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 50 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [17] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an overall 83% positive score, with 66% saying they would definitely recommend it. [15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Champions (12A)". BBFC . March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Champions (2023)". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Champions (2023)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Sosland, Zachary (December 30, 2022). "'Champions': Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything We Know So Far". Collider . Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Grobar, Matt (February 1, 2022). "'Champions': Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson, Cheech Marin & Matt Cook To Topline Bobby Farrelly's Special Olympics Pic For Focus Features And Gold Circle Entertainment". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Woody Harrelson movie Champions set to film in Winnipeg". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook . Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  7. ↑ Dow, Katherine (December 7, 2022). "Champions: Woody Harrelson movie includes Winnipeg actor". CTV News Winnipeg. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ Grobar, Matt (December 5, 2022). "'Champions' Trailer: Woody Harrelson Leads Bobby Farrelly's Special Olympics Comedy For Focus Features". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  9. ↑ Grobar, Matt (January 18, 2023). "'Polite Society' Trailer: Focus Features Action-Comedy From First-Time Feature Director Nida Manzoor Set For Sundance Bow". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 "Champions". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media . Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson attend 'Champions' premiere in NYC". UPI. February 28, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Champions DVD Release Date". www.dvdsreleasedates.com. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Sitaare Zameen Par Release Date". The Hindu. May 5, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  14. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 7, 2023). "'Scream VI' Stabbing At Franchise-Best $50M+ Global Opening – Box Office Preview". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  15. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 12, 2023). "'Scream VI' Even Louder With $44M+ Franchise Opening Record, 'Creed III' Punching $101M+ – Sunday Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 19, 2023). "'Shazam! Fury Of The Gods' Doesn't Fly With Moviegoers At $30M Opening: Here's Why – Sunday Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Champions Reviews". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
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