![New Movie Starring Woody Harrelson is Based in Iowa [WATCH]](https://townsquare.media/site/675/files/2023/02/attachment-Champions-YouTube-final2.jpg?w=980&q=75)
New Movie Starring Woody Harrelson is Based in Iowa [WATCH]
I knew there was a reason I've always liked Woody Harrelson.
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Harrelson has played a wide variety of characters over the years since we first saw him as bartender Woody Boyd on 'Cheers'. It appears he'll be just as, if not more likable, in a new movie that hits theaters next month. A movie that's based in Iowa.
In the movie 'Champions', Harrelson's character (Marcus) is a minor-league basketball coach for the Iowa Stallions. Unfortunately, he has a temper that ends up costing him his job. It gets worse from there and he ends up in court where he's told his community service will be coaching a Special Olympics basketball team. Marcus becomes not only their coach but eventually transforms into the protector of the kids on the team.
Even though the movie is clearly based in Iowa, Movie Web says, 'Champions' is actually "based on the true story of Aderes, a team that has been aiming to win the Valencian Special Olympics for years." In reality, the team won twelve Spanish titles from 1999 to 2014. 'Champions' is the second movie based on the team. The first, a 2018 Spanish film called 'Campeones' (Champions in Spanish), was the highest-grossing Spanish film that year.
Back to the movie being based in Iowa... turns out it was actually filmed in Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. Not sure how Iowa ever became quite of the equation but it did, as you'll see clearly in the movie trailer below.
'Champions' will be in theaters starting on Friday, March 10. It's rated PG-13 and also stars Ernie Hudson, Cheech Marin, & Kaitlin Olson.
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