Rapper Stormzy will co-produce a “hard-hitting” yet hopeful biopic of Arsenal and England football star Ian Wright.
The 32-year-old will executive-produce the film with his production company #MerkyFilms to recount Wright’s journey from his childhood in south London through to playing football at the highest level.
The biopic will follow how football became an escape for Wright as he grew up in an abusive household on the Honor Oak Estate in Brockley.
Wright said: “Telling my story in full for the first time feels surreal and, in some ways, a long time coming.
“There are parts of my life that will be familiar because they’ve been talked about over the years, but this film is the first time we’re bringing it all together.”
Wright grew up in London to first generation Caribbean immigrants and has spoken openly about his difficult childhood, including the domestic abuse he faced from his stepfather and mother.
With his older brother Maurice and a teacher looking out for him, the biopic, written and directed by Tom Wilton, will document his journey from club rejections as a teenager to becoming one of the top goalscorers for Arsenal and Crystal Palace’s player of the century.
He added: “Retelling my story to Tom has also made me realise how much Britain has changed from my parents arriving here on the Windrush, what that meant for me and my brothers, and the experiences that will never leave me.
“I hope it shows how complicated life can be for a young person and the influence people around you can have – good and bad. My story is one that truly shows how the company you keep can break you down and build you up.
“There are hard-hitting moments but in the end I want it to give people hope and joy.”
Since his retirement in 2002, Wright has appeared on screens as a regular football pundit most notably on BBC’s Match Of the Day.
Following his debut in 1997, Wright became a regular pundit on the sports programme in 2002 before leaving in 2024.
He also co-hosts the sports podcast series Stick To Football as well as his own podcast, Wrighty’s House.
Wilton said: “It has been a privilege working closely with Wrighty to capture his story, not least because we both spent our formative years on the same estate.
“In Ian’s journey, I recognised the power of a dream, and just how difficult it is to keep going when the world refuses to see you. For a man so well-known, there is still so much for people to discover, including what it took for him to never give up.
“I made a promise to tell the history like it was – raw and real. Now, I can’t wait for people to truly experience Ian Wright’s incredible journey.”
The football pundit was made an Officer of the British Empire in the King’s Birthday Honours for his services to football and charity in 2023.
Stormzy, also known as Michael Omari Owuo Jr, shot to fame more than a decade ago following the success of his freestyle Shut Up, and made history aged 25 when he became the first black British solo act to headline Glastonbury Festival in 2019.
In 2025 he launched the film production company and released his film One Man which marked his first time starring in a lead role.
