We got to chat with former NBA star Jarnell Stokes, who has traded his jersey for a pen, entering the world of moviemaking.
Break the Cycle delves into the lives of two brothers whose childhood is marred by a horribly tragic incident. Raised by their loving but stern grandmother, the brothers take radically different paths as they come of age in the gritty streets of Memphis. Jay, a gifted basketball player with dreams of making it to the NBA, is a beacon of hope for his grandmother and a potential ticket out of their harsh reality. However, the allure of his charismatic yet troubled brother, Eddie, who’s deeply entrenched in the world of street crime, casts a shadow over Jay’s future.
Break the Cycle, recently wrapped filming and stars Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr., Vivica A. Fox, Loretta Devine, Vernon Davis, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. It’s the first of several projects as part of a multi-picture deal he signed last month with Germany-based ORWO Family for which the latter will co-produce, co-finance and handle the post-production and international sales.
Check out our interview with Jarnell:
So first off, congratulations on Break the Cycle being your first screenplay being turned into a movie.
Jarnell: Thank you. I appreciate it. I’ve written a few, and that’s the first of many to come.
That’s awesome to hear. What inspired you to start writing?
Jarnell: I was a big proponent of the “more than an athlete” movement in like 2016, 2017. I was playing up until like 2020 and it just always resonated with me to treat life and financial obligations as an entrepreneurial journey. And being an athlete was always just one of those ventures, I would say. I was not the smartest kid growing up, nor was I gifted with autonomous athleticism and the ability to have skills. I always worked to become an athlete, so I knew that coming from the bottom in sports, that I could work and push myself to out pace the rest in writing and producing. What truly inspired me was just learning that the world needed more change and not understanding where or how to make change. I felt storytelling would be more efficient.
What inspired the story behind Break the Cycle and what made this perfect as your breakout script.
Jarnell: So this story is near and dear to me, because it’s based on a true story with my parents, with a few fictionalized events, I would say just to, you know, appeal to the international box office and streaming distributors of that sort. But I would say learning the unique intersection between between sports and music and living in Memphis; having such a rich heritage and, combined with sports and music, modern day sports and music makes it all more appealing and commercially viable.
How involved were you with the filming process?
Jarnell: I was very involved. I have a team of producers: VPM, line producer, my producing partner, Asia Wynn and Asher Levin. We all pitched in, in a great way, to help and we all just feed each other.
So because you were so involved, I’m guessing you got to go home to Memphis while this was filming. What was it like bringing your work home?
Jarnell: Well, the real gratification comes when the film hits the screens. I’m not able to share the distributor, but we’ve picked up some pretty major international and domestic distribution. I’m excited to announce that once that time comes, which I think will be like the beginning of the year. But yeah, I’m focused on the next slate of films that are a lot similar with our new studio partners ORWO. It’s been hard to sit back with the family and put popcorn on without, you know, seeing it on screen, but having all this exciting news has definitely been motivational.
I know you can’t talk a whole lot about the distributor and what’s coming next, but is there a projected release date or time frame?
Jarnell: I’m reserving [the distributor’s] right to make that official announcement, but I would believe, through my discussions, that it’s Q1, March Madness, or playoff time during basketball season.
Devonte Brown is attached as the director. With this being inspired by true events, what was it like trusting him to direct the film?
Jarnell: He definitely has a ton of potential to become a great director and has a unique voice. I sat down with him before the film and heard his vision and I really liked his ability to connect with the project… I would say, Vivica A. Fox and Kym Whitley and Loretta Devine and a lot of the talent raved over his mature and exciting directing style. So, I thought that it was definitely a success to have Devonte on the project.
Yeah, that’s definitely a good thing when things start falling into place like that and people are raving about him and working with him.
I mean, Vivica was like a co-director, I must say. She definitely has a way of engaging people and taking control and leadership and showing her experience just like, you know, a veteran of the NBA or of a basketball team would. I would enjoy working with Vivica for more projects to come.
Speaking of Vivica and the talent, you have some pretty awesome names attached to this. Did you have a say in the casting?
Jarnell: Yeah, so a lot of the casting I did with all of my producing partners, and yeah, I signed every single agreement and spoke to the managers with my partners, so I had a lot of say. And most times we didn’t enter the agreement stage or discuss numbers until I signed off. And we did what felt right for the project and weren’t too concerned about distribution. We wanted to make something for the culture. Moving forward, I would love to continue to make culturally rich projects that, you know, entice a certain unique audience. But it does mean a lot to me to be able to appeal to an international and broader audience, which is why I’m excited about the next few things to come.
