10 movies starring famous athletes

For world-renowned athletes, the sporting field is not the only opportunity to realize themselves and get a fee at the same time. Directors have repeatedly invited soccer players, basketball players and even boxers to take part in filming movies. For representatives of the movie industry it is a good chance to raise the rating of the picture, and for champions – to try themselves in a new field. Let’s be honest, sometimes the joint works turned out to be quite impressive. We have selected for you ten feature films from 1978 to 2017, in which famous athletes played.

“Game of Death”, 1978.

Genre: action movie.
Starring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The American basketball player managed to be remembered by the world for at least two reasons. Abdul-Jabbar is still the leader in the number of points scored in the regular season in the history of the NBA. In addition, the athlete had a five-minute fight with martial arts master Bruce Lee. They did it in “Game of Death” – a picture dedicated to the struggle of the hero named Billy Lo with a criminal syndicate in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the movie was the last for Lee. The actor died when filming was not yet completed.

By the way, despite the fact that the first part of the fight was led by Karim, Bruce still defeated him with a choke hold.

“Did You Call the Genie?”, 1996.

Genre: comedy.
Starring Shaquille O’Neal.

Most often athletes get cameo roles, but not this time. Shaquille O’Neal played one of the main characters – the genie Kazaam. He came to the rescue of Max, who was being bullied at school, and asked him to make three wishes. According to those who liked the film, it is a kind cautionary comedy with a large share of humor. And the basketball player was ideally suited to the role of a fairy-tale character, because this is exactly the kind of friend the boy needed.

“Space Jam”, 1996.

Genre: cartoon, fantasy.
Starring: Michael Jordan.

It seems that the end of the XX century – the time when the NBA stars were peculiar to conquer the cinematography. But Michael Jordan still distinguished himself and starred … in a cartoon. According to its plot, evil monsters invaded our planet and threatened the earthly animals led by the rabbit Bugs Bunny. But he found a way out and offered opponents to play basketball on a bet, inviting the famous Jordan to his side.

In fantasy you can notice other players in the league: Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Mugsy Boggs, Larry Johnson, Shawn Bradley and Larry Bird.

“Asterix at the Olympics,” 2008.

Genre: fantasy, comedy.
Starring Michael Schumacher and Zinedine Zidane.

In this comedy we can see two sports stars: Formula 1 pilot Schumacher and French soccer player Zidane. And, in fact, not immediately guess that they are on the screen. Michael played the driver on Schumix’s chariot and, naturally, finished the race first. The character was dressed in red – the color of the Ferrari team, for which the racer acted.

If Schumacher appeared in a symbolic image, then Zizu in the movie and in truth can not recognize. Black long hair, greasy eyeliner on the eyelids and gold jewelry made the Egyptian Zinedinis comical. But he still had the ball, of course!

Other athletes glimpsed in “Asterix at the Olympics” included basketball player Tony Parker, wrestler Nathan Jones and tennis player Amelie Mauresmo.

“Bachelor Party in Vegas”, 2009.

Genre: comedy.
Starring: Mike Tyson.

In the popular American comedy boxer performed the role of himself. Even about tigers the directors did not lie. Tyson, indeed, some time kept three Bengal predators, although now recalls their purchase without much pleasure. In the story of the picture, fate brought together heavily drunk on a bachelor party guys and Mike, when they ridiculously stole from the athlete one of the animals.

The boxer himself told Sports Illustrated with annoyance that most of today’s kids know him only from his role in “Boyhood.”

“Knockout,” 2012.

Genre: Action.
Starring: Gina Carano.

This is far from the only work of the girl-fighter MMA in the movie. Viewers know her well from “Deadpool”, the sixth part of the franchise “Fast and Furious” and the new series “Mandalorean”. But it was Steven Soderbergh who decided to give Carano the main role in his project “Knockout”. The girl played a secret intelligence agent, for which a real hunt began after the failure of the assignment.

“Three X’s: World Domination”, 2017.

Genre: action.
Starring Neymar.

In the last released part of the movie “Three X”, the Brazilian appeared for only a couple of minutes. He had lunch with the hero of Samuel Jackson in a Chinese diner and had time to demonstrate soccer skills in an unexpected situation. When a robber ran into the cafe with a gun, Neymar was not confused and knocked him out with a flying kick. Only instead of the ball was a napkin holder.

“King Arthur’s Sword,” 2017.

Genre: drama, fantasy.
Starring: David Beckham.

For this role in the picture Guy Ritchie Beckham managed to become an object of ridicule. Viewers thought that the appearance of the footballer in the image of the knight Trigger, serving King Vortigernu, was too short, daring and “worthy of Oscar”. By the way, David worked together with the British director and before the movie “The Sword of King Arthur”. The athlete played a cameo in “Agents of A. N. N. K. L.”.