LaKeith Stanfield to Play Dennis Rodman in Lionsgate’s ‘48 Hours in Vegas’

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Dec 13

Stanfield steps into one of sports and pop culture’s wildest untold stories — replacing Jonathan Majors in the long-gestating Dennis Rodman biopic.

LaKeith Stanfield is officially heading to Vegas. The Oscar-nominated actor has been tapped to play NBA icon Dennis Rodman in Lionsgate’s 48 Hours in Vegas, stepping into the role after Jonathan Majors was removed from the project following his 2023 assault conviction.

The film, described by the studio as a wild, character-driven comedy, chronicles Rodman’s infamous mid-Finals detour to Las Vegas during the 1998 NBA Championship — a two-day escape that became instant mythology as the Chicago Bulls pushed toward their second three-peat. It remains one of the most surreal intersections of sports, celebrity, and personal chaos the league has ever seen, and the movie promises to lean into both the absurdity and emotional truth behind the legend.

Rick Famuyiwa (The Mandalorian, Ahsoka) has signed on to direct and is writing the latest draft of the script, following earlier work by Jordan VanDina. The project comes from the powerhouse team of Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Aditya Sood, with Rodman himself executive producing alongside Ari Lubet and Lucy Kitada.

In a statement, Stanfield said he hopes to deliver something that matches the intensity and unpredictability of Rodman’s cultural impact: “I’m genuinely excited to help create an exhilarating, joyful work that both honors and thoughtfully examines the legacy of Rodman and fellow trailblazers — those who moved to the beat of their own drum, undeterred by the obstacles placed before them, then and now.”

Erin Westerman, president of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, underscored why Stanfield was the choice: “Dennis Rodman is more than a basketball player, more than a personality — he’s an entire cultural phenomenon. There’ll never be another like him. LaKeith and the incredibly talented team on this film will bring the legend to life in this most extraordinarily unbelievable story.”

Stanfield, who earned an Academy Award nomination for Judas and the Black Messiah, has built a career on characters with edge, vulnerability, and an off-kilter magnetism — making him a pitch-perfect match for one of the most fascinating figures in modern sports. He most recently appeared in Roofman and Die My Love, and will next be seen in I Love Boosters.

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Majors was previously attached to the role before being convicted on two misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault in 2023. His exit opened the door for Lionsgate to reframe the film with a new creative approach — one that now appears primed to tap into Stanfield’s singular screen presence.

Production details and release timing for 48 Hours in Vegas are expected to be announced soon.