Gugu Mbatha-Raw to star with Will Smith in NFL drama

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is to star alongside Will Smith in the untitled NFL concussion drama.

The ‘Beyond the Lights’ actress has signed on to take on a lead role alongside the ‘I Am Legend’ actor in the untitled Sony project based on the GQ magazine article ‘Game Brain’ by Jeanne Marie Laskas.

The story – which is described as a ”whistleblower tale” – follows Smith, who will play the part of a doctor, as he discovers the major head injuries and life-long debilitating problems facing American Football players because of the repeated concussions they suffer during games.

Peter Landesman will direct from his own script while Ridley Scott, Giannina Facio and Michael Schaefer are to produce for Scott Free.

David Wolthoff, Elizabeth Cantillon and Larry Shuman will also take on producing roles with Hannah Minghella and Jonathan Kadin overseeing the project for Sony.

Mbatha-Raw – who recently took on the title role in ‘Belle’ – starred as music superstar Noni Jean in Beyond the Lights, which premiered at the ongoing Toronto Film Festival.

She recently wrapped on ‘The Whole Truth’, in which she stars alongside ‘The Matrix’ actor Keanu Reeves, and her previous credits also include ‘Odd Thomas’, ‘Larry Crowne’ and TV series ‘Touch’.