NFL wide receiver DK Metcalf is trading in the gridiron for the big screen. The Pittsburgh Steelers star has joined the cast of Asteroid, an XR (extended reality) thriller from The Bourne Identity director Doug Liman. The short film will debut next week as part of the Venice Film Festival’s Immersive showcase.
About the Film
Asteroid follows a group of strangers who take the ultimate risk—journeying to a nearby asteroid in hopes of mining opportunities that could change their lives forever. The project is competing in Venice’s Immersive Competition, running from August 27 to September 6 on the island of Lazzaretto Vecchio.
The cast includes:
- Hailee Steinfeld (Sinners, Pitch Perfect)
- Rhenzy Feliz (The Penguin)
- Ron Perlman (Hellboy)
- Leon Mandel (The Americans)
- Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire)
- DK Metcalf (Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver)
Metcalf’s Hollywood Moves
While this may be his most prestigious role yet, Asteroid isn’t Metcalf’s first Hollywood outing. He previously appeared as himself in Peacock’s Bel-Air and in Paramount+’s 2022 original movie Secret Headquarters, starring Owen Wilson.
Production & Release
The immersive thriller is produced by Liman’s 30 Ninjas, in association with Google’s 100 Zeros. Following its Venice premiere, Asteroid will launch later this year on Google’s Android XR platform.
30 Ninjas, co-founded by Liman alongside Julina Tatlock and Jed Weintrob, has long been a pioneer in immersive storytelling across AR, VR, and MR formats. The team also serves as producers on the project, joined by Marty Schulman, Neil Parris, and Jon Zepp.