Emmy nominee Anthony Ramos and Michael Peña will soon star in a new thriller about Cuban athletes caught in a political conspiracy. The upcoming film, titled Free Agent, comes from the filmmakers behind BlacKkKlansman. Free Agent is based on the true story of sports agent Bartolo “Bart” Hernandez and his partner Julio Estrada.
As reported by Deadline, the film will follow the duo’s mission to help Cuban athletes pursuing the American Dream. Along the way, the two are plunged into the world of organized crime and political tensions between Cuba and the U.S.
The film is written by Charlie Wachtel and David Rabinowitz. It first appeared on the 2018 Black List under the title Bolsa Negra and will be directed by Colombian filmmaker Antonio Negret.
The real-life baseball scandal behind Free Agent and its high-stakes Cuban connection
Peña will play Hernandez while Ramos will portray Estrada. The former is a Florida-based baseball agent, while the latter is a Cuban baseball trainer.
The story reportedly began around 2009 when the two got involved with a network that transported Cuban baseball players to the U.S. The players were transported under fraudulent residency documents to help them secure MLB contracts.
Eventually, Hernandez and Estrada were convicted in 2017 of smuggling charges in Miami federal court. The scandal involved players like José Abreu, Leonys Martín, Omar Luis, and more. The two were subsequently sentenced to four and five years in prison, respectively. Hernandez and Estrada have been released from prison after serving their sentence.
Free Agent is produced by Shaun Redick and Yvette Yates Redick of Impossible Dream Entertainment. They are joined by Roberto Urbina, Jason Cherubini, and Martin Ramos of Colombia’s Synestesys.
“This is a story we’ve been dying to share with the world. It’s an underdog tale about immigration, freedom, and the meaning – and cost – of the American Dream. We believe Bart’s incredible story has the unique potential to resonate across cultures and borders,” said Wachtel.
Meanwhile, Peña will be next seen in Sam Rockwell’s upcoming thriller titled Tumor. The actor is known for starring in Marvel’s Ant-Man films, A Working Man, and more. Ramos will be next seen in the romantic comedy, Love Language, releasing this month. He was last seen in TV shows such as The Beauty and Marvel Studio’s Iron Heart.
Free Agent has not yet announced a release date or production timeline.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
