Rise Release Date: When Will It Be Released?

By Preeti Rana On May 1, 2023

Rise Release Date: The Milwaukee Bucks claimed the NBA championship on July 20, 2021, thereby making NBA history. On that date, two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Thanasis joined their sibling Kostas to become the first triumvirate of brothers to win an NBA championship. This voyage is the basis of the new film Rise.

Growing up, the Antetokounmpo siblings encountered their fair share of adversity. The children, who were born in Nigeria, immigrated to Greece with their families and struggled financially while continuously facing deportation. Despite adversity, the three young men found the resolve and commitment to master basketball and become the stars they are today.

Given their success in the league, it is only fitting that a film chronicling their extraordinary voyage be released to the public.

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Rise Release Date

On Friday, June 24, Disney Plus broadcast the first episode of Rise to audiences in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Rise Plot

“After emigrating from Nigeria to Greece, Vera and Charles Antetokounmpo struggled to survive and provide for their five children while facing daily deportation threats. With their eldest child still living in Nigeria with relatives, the couple was desperate to acquire Greek citizenship but encountered systemic obstacles at every turn.

Encouraged by their father, when the brothers were not selling items to travelers on the streets of Athens with the rest of their family, they would sneak away to play basketball with a local youth team.

As latecomers to basketball, they discovered their exceptional abilities on the court and worked diligently to become world-class athletes. Giannis entered the 2013 NBA Draft with the assistance of an agent as a long-shot candidate who would transform not only his life but the lives of his entire family.

In addition, Giannis, an executive producer, stated the following about the film:

“I am delighted and honoured that Disney Plus will share my family’s story with the world. My hope is that it will encourage those in similar situations to maintain their faith, remain true to their goals, and not give up on their pursuit of a better existence.”

Rise Cast

Real-life brothers Uche Agada and Ral Agada play the roles of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, thanks to a unique casting choice. The roles they play in Rise are their first significant acting roles to date. In addition to that, here is an interesting fact.

According to Disney, Uche was really working at a WaWa drive-thru when he came across Giannis’ casting call on Instagram for someone to play him in a movie. The call was looking for someone to portray Giannis in the film.

Amateur actors Jaden Osimuwa and Elijah Sholanke have been cast in the roles of Kostas and Alex Antetokounmpo, the other siblings in the Antetokounmpo family.

Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki will also be seen with these younger actors in their respective roles as the patriarch and matriarch of the Antetokounmpo family. Okeniyi’s prior roles include Oloman in the series See, which aired on Apple TV Plus, and Paul in the film Fresh, which was available on Hulu.

In the Starz series American Gods, Badaki played the role of Bilquis, and in the heartwarming television show This Is Us, she played Chi Chi.

Rise Trailer

Where to Watch “Rise”?

The film Rise is an original production from Disney Plus. Those who are interested in seeing the movie will need to have a subscription to the streaming service, which can be obtained in a matter of seconds by clicking on the appropriate link.

The Disney Bundle is a subscription service that contains Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu. If you are interested in sports as well as “traditional” Disney programming, you may want to look into purchasing this package.

Summary

The Antetokounmpo siblings, born in Nigeria, immigrated to Greece and faced deportation. Despite adversity, they found the resolve and commitment to master basketball and become world-class athletes. Rise is a film chronicling their extraordinary voyage.

Real-life brothers Uche and Ral Agada play the roles. Amateur actors Jaden Osimuwa, Elijah Sholanke, Dayo Okeniyi, and Yetide Badaki have been cast in the roles of Kostas and Alex Antetokounmpo.