National Champions is a 2021 sports drama film directed by Ric Roman Waugh. Stunt coordinator turned director, Waugh previously directed Shot Caller, Angel Has Fallen, and Greenland. The film is written by Adam Mervis, and based on his play of the same name.
Three days before the college football national championship game, star quarterback LeMarcus James (Stephan James) and teammate Emmett Sunday (Alexander Ludwig) ignite a player’s strike declaring they won’t compete until all student-athletes are fairly compensated. With billions of dollars at risk and legacies on the line, the stakes could not be higher. Now, with only hours until kickoff, the head coach (J.K. Simmons) and various power brokers (Lil Rel Howery, Tim Blake Nelson, Andrew Bachelor, Jeffrey Donovan, David Koechner, Kristin Chenoweth, Timothy Olyphant, Uzo Aduba) must race against the clock to protect or destroy the prevailing collegiate athletics system.
National Champions is scheduled to be released only in theaters on December 10th, by STX Entertainment. Watch the official trailer below.