Mickey Rourke, Rob Gronkowski Topline ‘The Roaring Game’ Comedy (Exclusive)

Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke and former NFL star Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski have nabbed starring roles in writer/director Tom DeNucci’s sports comedy The Roaring Game .

Martin Scorsese on the U.S. Election: "Democracy Could Continue, or This Experiment Could End"

Also joining the Verdi Productions pic, that just wrapped production, in key roles is William Forsythe ( The Devil Rejects ) and Vanessa Angel ( Kingpin ). The Roaring Game centers on Rickey, a high school janitor who loses everything when his girlfriend, Kelly, is selected to play hockey for Team USA and compete in the World Games.

To win her back, Rickey creates a misfit curling team and uses his sweeping skills to compete for gold and complete a comic quest for redemption that captivates the nation.

Rourke is best known for his role in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler , which earned him Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. Former New England Patriots tight-end Gronkowski has acting credits that include The Clapper, Entourage, Boss Level and the buddy comedy The Instigators .

How an American Character Actor Fell in Love with Rome -- and Never Left

“The cast on this film covers multiple generations and decades. We are going for the gold with this project and targeting a release to coincide with the upcoming Winter Olympics,” producer Chad A. Verdi said in a statement, with an eye to a commercial rollout around the 2026 Winter Games competition set for Milan and Cortina Italy.

The film is also produced by Michelle Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., Paul Luba and Anthony Gudas. Sera Verdi will executive produce and Ed Brady is an associate producer.

Recent Verdi Productions projects include working with Martin Scorsese on the documentary Shipwrecks of Sicily in Sicily, Italy, and Chosen Family, starring Heather Graham, Julia Stiles, Thomas Lennon, Andrea Savage, Michael Gross and John Brotherton.

See LaKeith Stanfield's Suave Turn in Campaign for Kith and Giorgio Armani Collaboration