The feature-length film, which executive producer Bryant McBride told Deadline.com is "10 percent about hockey and 90 percent about life," is scheduled to be released in 2019.
[SEE 'WILLIE' TRAILER]
O'Ree broke the color barrier in the NHL when he played for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 18, 1958. His debut came two years after losing sight in his right eye from a shot that also broke his nose and cheekbone. Though he played 45 NHL games, O'Ree has become a predominant spokesman for the League since returning to hockey with the NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force, now known as Hockey is for Everyone, in 1995.
"Kids can smell a phony," McBride said. "I've watched him walk into hundreds of rooms, and kids go, 'Wow, this guy's important -- he's the Jackie Robinson of hockey.'"
Hockey Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, along with Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, Kelsey Koelzer of the National Women's Hockey League and Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are among the notables interviewed for the documentary. The film culminates with O'Ree's induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
"Willie O'Ree's place in hockey history and the impact he's had on growing the game is truly inspirational," NHL chief content officer and EVP Steve Mayer told Deadline.com. "Willie's commitment to hockey is matched only by his dedication to encouraging young people to follow their dreams. He is a true ambassador of the game, and we're proud to be able to help tell his incredible story of perseverance, community, patience and resilience."
