After nearly two years in limbo, 48 Hours in Vegas is finally back on track. LaKeith Stanfield will play Dennis Rodman in the Lionsgate film inspired by the former Chicago Bulls star’s legendary mid‑Finals detour to Las Vegas during the 1998 NBA Finals. Rick Famuyiwa is directing, bringing a fresh vision to the long-delayed project.
Stanfield replaces Jonathan Majors, who was dropped from the film in January 2024 following his 2023 assault conviction. The recasting allowed Lionsgate and the producers to reset the project and move forward with a lead who could fully embody Rodman’s chaotic energy and cultural impact.
The film follows Rodman over two whirlwind days in Sin City, blending sports history, comedy, and the kind of larger-than-life persona only Rodman could deliver. It’s not a traditional sports biopic — the story leans into Rodman as a cultural force, a player who defied norms on and off the court.
Produced by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Aditya Sood, with Rodman among the executive producers, 48 Hours in Vegas is positioned as a bold, energetic look at one of the NBA’s most infamous stories. Lionsgate executives Meredith Wieck and Pavan Kalidindi are overseeing the project, which Jordan VanDina co-wrote with Famuyiwa.
Stanfield, known for choosing complex and unconventional roles, brings the range to capture Rodman’s contradictions: the swagger, vulnerability, and pure unpredictability. With Famuyiwa directing and a strong producing team behind the project, 48 Hours in Vegas is finally poised to give audiences the wild, unforgettable story that Dennis Rodman himself lived.