Back in my day, before Disney began churning out Marvel and Star Wars movies by the handful, the studio specialized in making inspirational sports films. I'm talking The Mighty Ducks, The Big Green, Angels in the Outfield and yes, Cool Runnings. These movies meant a lot to a lot of people, but none of them were billion-dollar grossers, so the genre stopped being a priority for Disney. However, now that the studio has its own streaming service in Disney+, it's going back to the basics, having just released the trailer for Safety, which looks like a great film for families to watch together over the holidays.
Directed by Reginald Hudlin, Safety is inspired by the empowering true story of former Clemson University football safety Ray McElrathbey (Jay Reeves), a young man facing a series of challenging circumstances, whose dedication and persistence help him to triumph over repeated adversities. Aided by his teammates and the Clemson community, he succeeds on the field while simultaneously raising and caring for his 11-year-old brother Fahmarr (Thaddeus J. Mixson).
The supporting cast includes Corinne Foxx, Matthew Glave, Hunter Sansone, Amanda Warren, Miles Burris, Isaac Bell, Elijah Bell and James Badge Dale.
Mark Ciardi (Miracle) and Gordon Gray (The Rookie) produced the film, while Douglas S. Jones and Campbell McIinnis served as executive producers. The script hails from Nick Santora, who is having one heck of a breakout year between this film and his two Quibi movies The Most Dangerous Game and The Fugitive.
“Safety is a movie about brotherhood and coming together for the greater good, which is a message our society needs right now. It’s the story of a young man stuck in a situation where failure is not an option. Through sheer force of will, he does the impossible, which inspires the whole community around him to do the same," said Hudlin.
“For over a decade, I’ve dreamed of bringing Ray’s incredible story to the screen, and now that it’s ready, I’m thrilled that Disney+ is making it available for families to enjoy together during the holidays," added Ciardi.
Safety features a score from Grammy-winning jazz musician/producer and composer Marcus Miller (Marshall) as well as the original song “Hold Us Together” performed by Grammy-winning singer/songwriter H.E.R., which she wrote and produced in collaboration with Josiah Bassey and Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II. The soundtrack will be released on Friday, Dec. 11, which is the same day that Safety will debut exclusively on Disney+.
I'm an absolute sucker for just about any movie involving two brothers, let alone one featuring football, so I'm really looking forward to this one, as it's been too damn long since I've seen a movie like this. Watch the trailer for Safety below, and if you're not a sports fan and you prefer the MCU to the ACC, then click here to find out when WandaVision will premiere on Disney+.