WWE acquires rights to movie involving Shawn Michaels

WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels

WWE issued the following today:

WWE STUDIOS TAKES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO THE RESURRECTION OF GAVIN STONE

Brett Dalton, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, D.B. Sweeney, Neil Flynn and WWE Legend Shawn Michaels® Star in the Faith-Based Title

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (July 29, 2015) – WWE Studios (NYSE: WWE) announced today that it has acquired worldwide rights to The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, a faith-based title from the Harvest Bible Chapel’s Vertical Church Films. The film recently wrapped production and stars Brett Dalton (Marvel’s “Agents of Shield”), Anjelah Johnson-Reyes (Moms’ Night Out), D.B. Sweeney (“Suits,” “24”), Neil Flynn (“The Middle”) and WWE Legend Shawn Michaels.

Written by Andrea Nasfell (Moms’ Night Out) and directed by Dallas Jenkins (What If…), who joined the Harvest Bible Chapel and founded Vertical Church Films, The Resurrection of Gavin Stone tells the story of a former child star turned washed-up and troubled actor. After receiving a 200-hour community service sentence, Gavin Stone (Brett Dalton), pretends to be a Christian so he can play Jesus in a mega-church Easter production in order to fulfill his hours of service. Along the way, he reconnects with his past and builds upon his faith to discover that his most important role is far away from the shining lights of Hollywood.

“It is a privilege to be working with the Harvest Bible Chapel and Vertical Church Films, as they share our understanding of the importance of a strong foundation for storytelling,” said Michael Luisi, President, WWE Studios. “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone is a heartwarming tale of faith and redemption that will allow us to continue growing our audience as we expand into new genres.”

“We’re excited to combine resources with a dynamic company like WWE on such a funny, but meaningful project,” said Fred Adams, Harvest Bible Chapel Executive Business Pastor.Director Dallas Jenkins added, “Gavin’s story is such an entertaining one to tell because the ‘fish out of water’ aspect is so relatable, no matter what the setting.”

WWE Studios will leverage WWE’s extensive platforms from weekly TV shows, including WWE’s flagship programs, Monday Night Raw® and SmackDown®, digital, social media and WWE Network®, to market the title.

Bradley Buchanan negotiated on behalf of WWE Studios.