Shooting Stars on Peacock was entirely filmed in Ohio, including Akron and Cuyahoga County. The filming of the biographical sports movie based on Buzz Bissinger and LeBron James' 2009 eponymous memoir began in April 2022 and ended in June of the same year.
Peacock's Shooting Stars is a biographical sports drama film based on Buzz Bissinger and LeBron James' 2009 eponymous memoir. It tells and dramatizes the origin story of basketball legend LeBron James, as well as his extraordinary career as a four-time NBA Champion and the competition's all-time leading scorer. Young LeBron James and his three best friends — Lil Dru, Willie McGee, and Sian Cotton — form the Fab Four in the 1990s after being inspired by the Michigan Wolverines Fab Five.
When a coach threatens to split the Fab Four from each other, they switch schools to play varsity together. Now, under the tutelage of a former college coach named Keith Dambrot, James and his buddies must create an alliance with a former opponent and new player named Romeo Travis. They must face battles both on and off the court in order to win the National Championship.
The basketball film, starring Marquis "Mookie" Cook, Caleb McLaughlin, Avery S. Wills Jr., Khalil Everage, Wood Harris, and Dermot Mulroney, takes place in Akron and Cleveland, where the actual LeBron James has spent most of his life. The basketball court moments in which the Fab Four engage in some thrilling plays with one other, as well as the restaurant scenes in which they hang out, make people wonder where Shooting Stars was truly shot. If you're interested in learning more, we've got you covered!
Peacock’s Shooting Stars Was Entirely Filmed in Ohio, Specifically in Akron and Cuyahoga County!
Peacock's Shooting Stars was entirely filmed in Ohio, specifically in Akron and Cuyahoga County. According to sources, principal photography for LeBron James' (@kingjames) biography began in April 2022 and ended in June of that year. So, without further ado, let us walk you through all of the particular locations in the drama film where the Fab Four leaves their mark!
Peacock's Shooting Stars was entirely filmed in Ohio, Akron.
Image Source: Fox 8 News
Because of its significance in LeBron James' life, the city of Akron served not only as a key filming location for Shooting Stars but also as a character in its own right. Spring Hills Apartments at 1221 Everton Drive, where James grew up, was used to film several crucial episodes. While some high school scenes in the sports film were shot at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School at 15 North Maple Street, a few basketball court scenes were shot at the University of Akron's James A. Rhodes Arena at 373 Carroll Street.
To add authenticity, the filming crew used the premise of Swensons Drive-Ins at 40 South Hawkins Avenue in Akron, where the genuine Fab Four used to hang out most of the time in the early 2000s. Some crucial outside sequences were also filmed at and around Elizabeth Park, located at 40 East Lods Street, in the Kenmore area, and maybe in the John R. Buchtel Community Learning Center, located at 1040 Copley Road.
The Shooting Stars production team also traveled to Cuyahoga County and established tents in several areas for filming reasons. For example, the cities of Cleveland and Cleveland Heights were important filming locations for the film. A few key basketball sequences were apparently shot at Case Western Reserve University's Wade Commons at 11451 Juniper Road and Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center at 2000 Prospect Avenue East, both in Cleveland. The biopic also includes scenes from the cities of Beachwood, Shaker Heights, and Garfield Heights.
Peacock's Shooting Stars Production and Reception!
Universal Pictures announced in 2014 that Shooting Stars, a film based on LeBron James' high school years, would be developed. The film is based on James' memoir of the same name, which he co-wrote with Buzz Bissinger in 2009. Beginning on April 18, 2022, principal photography took place in Beachwood, Ohio, lasting until June 2022. St. Paul's Episcopal Church was one of the filming locations.
Shooting Stars is currently available to stream on Peacock.
Image Source: Decider
And on June 2, 2023, Shooting Stars debuted on Peacock to mixed reviews from critics. The film has a 52% approval rating based on 23 reviews on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The film has a Metacritic score of 65 out of 100 based on six critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.
