LaKeith Stanfield will officially be stepping into Dennis Rodman’s very colorful shoes. The Oscar-nominated actor has signed on to star as the NBA icon in 48 Hours in Vegas after Jonathan Majors was dropped from the project following his assault conviction in 2023.
The Lionsgate-backed comedy was inspired by Rodman’s infamous disappearance during the 1998 NBA Finals, when the Chicago Bulls were on the brink of winning third place for the second straight year. The film focuses on the now mythical Las Vegas detour. This two-day journey has become part sports legend, part pop culture fever dream.
Stanfield will fill in as Rodman.
The casting was first reported by The InSneider and later confirmed by various media outlets including Deadline and Variety. This is an important reset for the project, which has been quietly reforming since its withdrawal from the majors about two years ago.
There’s also a small full-circle development here. Stanfield and Majors have shared the screen before, both appearing in the Netflix western The Harder They Fall (2021).
Stanfield said in a statement: “I’m truly excited to be part of this exhilarating and entertaining work that honors and thoughtfully examines the legacy of Rodman and his fellow pioneers, who, then and now, were undaunted by the obstacles placed in front of them and moved to the beat of their own drum.”
A chaotic chapter in NBA history
“48 Hours of Vegas” is set during the height of the Bulls’ dynasty, and Rodman’s off-court persona collides spectacularly in the stakes of the Finals. The film is directed by Rick Famuyiwa (Dope, The Mandalorian), who will also write the next draft of the screenplay, following an earlier screenplay by Jordan Vandina.
As a quick flashback, here’s the moment in The Last Dance when Michael Jordan told the Bulls that Rodman needed a “vacation.”
Erin Westerman, president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, described the film as more than just a sports biopic, saying, “Dennis Rodman is more than just a basketball player, more than just a personality, he’s a cultural phenomenon. His bold style and physical presence, combined with his iconic personality, made a larger-than-life impact on and off the court. There will never be another like him. LaKeith and this film’s incredibly talented team will bring the legend to life in this film.” It’s an incredible story. ”
Behind the scenes and forward
The film is produced by Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood, with Rodman himself serving as executive producer along with Ali Lubet and Lucy Kitada. Nikki Vajda is attached as co-producer, with Meredith Veeck and Pavan Kalidindi overseeing the project for Lionsgate.
Director Stanfield, who received an Oscar nomination for Judas and the Black Messiah, is best known for his work on Get Out, Sorry to Bother You, and FX’s Atlanta. He recently appeared in “Roofman” and “Die My Love,” and will next be seen in “I Love Booster.”
Majors was originally scheduled to play Rodman in 2022, but was removed from the film after being found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault. He was subsequently sentenced to a year of domestic violence counseling, prompting studios including Marvel to cut ties with him across multiple projects.
marvel studios
