The story of one of the most iconic players in the history of Penn State football is getting a movie made about it. The inspirational story of Wally Triplett, the first black football player in Penn State football program history, is being adapted into a movie.
More Productions is currently in the development stages of a feature film exploring the story of Triplett, who had a scholarship offer rescinded by the University of Miami once learning of his skin color. The idea for the movie reportedly came from More Productions owner Mark Rodgers, a Penn State alum. The movie has the backing of former Penn State football players Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell, according to TribLive.
There is no timeline for when the final version of the Triplett movie will be released, but the producers are committed to filming a portion of the movie on Penn State’s campus.
“It couldn’t be a film about Penn State and the Nittany Lions if it was not shot in State College, right? We will definitely be shooting on location there to get some authenticity,” screenwriter Camille Tucker said in an interview with TribLive.
This won’t be just a movie about football of course. Triplett’s story is one rooted in the thick of the nation’s civil rights movement and paves the way for the origin of the iconic “We Are” chant used by Penn State today.
ESPN previously produced a 30 for 30 short documentary on Triplett being the inspiration for a sculpture on Penn State’s campus.
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