O’Shea Jackson Jr. is set to play Baseball legend Dock Ellis. The film will be co-produced by his father Ice Cube, whom he famously portrayed in “Straight Outta Compton.”
Joey Poach wrote the screenplay. Co-producer, David Permut told Deadline that the story is “one of the most heartfelt, honest and emotional pieces of material I’ve read in years.”
Pittsburgh Pirates player, Dock Ellis made Major League Baseball history on June 12, 1970. The LA native pitched a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. Something that is very rare in modern-day Baseball. Over a decade later, he admitted that he played that iconic game while under the influence of LSD.
Ellis struggled with alcohol and narcotic abuse throughout much of his baseball career. This even includes his 1971 World Series win with the Pirates. He started counseling others with substance dependency issues near the end of his career, continuing that work after his 1979 retirement. However, Ellis addressed racism in baseball on multiple occasions, including a battle with his team when the leadership instructed him to stop wearing hair curlers in the dugout. From here on fought for players’ rights to free agency, which allowed more players of color to demand larger salaries. He died in 2008 at age 63 from liver disease.
Deadline addressed the 47th anniversary of that game (June 12) with the announcement of a new biopic, “Dock,” starring O’Shea Jackson Jr. in the lead role.