Brian Tyree Henry is wrapping up the final seasons of Atlanta, but he’s already looking ahead to the future. He’s appeared in Marvel’s Eternals and The Outside Story, but he’s not stopping there. Deadline has reported that Henry will play the role of Jason Crutchfield in Rachel Morrison’s directorial debut, Flint Strong.
O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson was originally scheduled to take on the role of Crutchfield, but he was forced out of the film due to prolonged production delays during the pandemic. Now, Henry will head up to Toronto in Jackson’s place as the film continues production.
Flint Strong is inspired by Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper’s 2015 documentary, T-Rex. The dramatic adaptation will chronicle the life and career of Claressa Shields as she transitions from being a boxing phenom in Flint, Michigan to taking the world by storm as a two-time Olympian and a multi-division champion as a pro.
Ryan Destiny is set to play the role of Shields while Oluniké Adeliyi plays her mother, Jackie. Henry’s character, Jason Crutchfield, is Shields’ coach, a cable worker who helps mold young boxers by night. Leading the way, Barry Jenkins will serve as the director and MGM will be the primary distributor.