'12 Mighty Orphans' Trailer: Luke Wilson Leads A Ragtag Football Team During The Great Depression

Luke Wilson is the latest actor to take the lead of a ragtag sports team in an inspiring drama full of life lessons. Heading all the way back to the time of The Great Depression, 12 Mighty Orphans follows the true story of a team of Fort Worth orphans known as the Mighty Mites and their surprising journey to the Texas state championships. We also would have accepted Remember the Mitans or Any Orphan Sunday. Anyway, watch the 12 Mighty Orphans trailer below.

The feel-good sports drama almost always works. There's always an audience for these kind of movies, no matter how predictable and familiar they are. The only thing that really changes is the time period in which the story takes place, and this one mixes it up by heading back to the days when football helmets were simply leather and pads were almost non-existent. Plus, it also introduces some of the football strategies that are now commonplace in the sport.

Luke Wilson isn't the only familiar face in town either. Robert Duvall and Martin Sheen add some veteran acting credits to the proceedings. Honestly, we're surprised that "The Mighty Mites" didn't end up being the title of the movie since one of the iconic actors says it in the trailer. But we're betting that title sounded more like a kids movie than a prestige football drama, so here we are.

The rest of the cast includes Vinessa Shaw, Wayne Knight, Jake Austin Walker, Treat Williams, and...Blue Collar Comedy Tour comedian Ron White? Sure, why not. The movie is directed by Ty Roberts, who also co-wrote the script with Lane Garrison and Kevin Meyer. Here's the official synopsis:

12 MIGHTY ORPHANS tells the true story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who, during the Great Depression, went from playing without shoes—or even a football—to playing for the Texas state championships. Over the course of their winning season these underdogs and their resilient spirit became an inspiration to their city, state, and an entire nation in need of a rebound, even catching the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The architect of their success was Rusty Russell, a legendary high school coach who shocked his colleagues by giving up a privileged position so he could teach and coach at an orphanage. Few knew Rusty's secret: that he himself was an orphan. Recognizing that his scrawny players couldn't beat the other teams with brawn, Rusty developed innovative strategies that would come to define modern football.

12 Mighty Orphans arrives in select theaters on June 11, 2021 and will expand into more theaters after that.