A new film production is headed to Tulsa this summer, bringing Will Rogers back to life at the high school that bears his name.
“Will to Win” follows a fictional Native teenager, Skylar Forest, as she copes with the grief of losing her parents by joining the boy’s baseball team at Will Rogers High School. Along the way, she befriends the late, great Rogers — who will come to life on screen through acting “and also the power of AI,” said screenwriter Aaron Fulkerson.
Sean Astin of “Stranger Things” and “Lord of the Rings” fame will play Skylar’s baseball coach, according to Fulkerson. “Soul Surfer” director Sean McNamara will helm the project, produced by Tulsa-based company Kirkpatrick & Kinslow.
“We are seeking the opportunity to showcase TPS for the fantastic school district that it is,” said Fulkerson, who is an alum of Tulsa Public Schools.
At Monday’s school board meeting, the board granted the production filming permissions at Will Rogers High School in May and June. The producers now also have access to the district’s branding.
“I think it’s a big deal in Oklahoma, and it’s a big deal for us to be part of that, especially at the specific campus they’ve chosen with this historical context,” said school board member Stacey Woolley.
Adapted from Jim Stovall’s novel of the same name, the project was the first film endorsed by the Rogers family in 2022, as reported by TulsaPeople. The actor’s great-granddaughter, Jennifer Rogers, is now listed as a consulting producer on the project.
Culture consultants with the Cherokee Film Commission are also part of the production team, in addition to Wendy Drummond of Drummond Law.
In welcoming the project to the district, school board member Kyra Carby requested internship and work opportunities be extended to TPS students.
“I definitely would be excited about having that conversation with Mr. Fulkerson and also in future for anyone interested in doing the work on our campus,” said Superintendent Ebony Johnson.
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