The 2024 sports biopic Unstoppable chronicles the remarkable true story of Anthony Robles, which continued long after his historic wrestling career at Arizona State University. As depicted at the end of Unstoppable, Robles faced obstacles and challenges both on and off the wrestling mat before becoming the 2011 NCAA wrestling champion. Directed by Oscar-winning editor William Goldenberg in his feature film directorial debut, Unstoppable is based on Robles' 2012 book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion. Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome leads an outstanding Unstoppable cast including Jennifer Lopez, Michael Peña, Don Cheadle, and Bobby Cannavale.
Unstoppable has received mostly positive reviews, earning a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 74%. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and the real-life Anthony Robles produced the film. Robles also appears in the film as his own double in certain scenes. Robles remains the only NCAA wrestler with one leg to win a national championship and the first athlete to be signed by Nike after retiring from a sport. Because Robles was a direct part of the film's creation and production, Unstoppable accurately depicts his inspiring true story. Unstoppable became available to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on January 16, 2025.
He joined ESPN as an NCAA wrestling analyst and won 2 ESPY Awards
As depicted before the end credits of Unstoppable, Anthony Robles' story has inspired millions, including Nike Founder and CEO Phil Knight, who said "After what he accomplished, Anthony Robles will be a Nike athlete for life." Robles retired from wrestling after winning his 2011 NCAA Title and became a motivational speaker, currently working with Keppler Speakers and Washington Speakers Bureau. In 2011, Robles won the prestigious Jimmy Valvano ESPY Award for perseverance as well as Best Male Athlete with a Disability. He became an NCAA wrestling analyst for ESPN in 2012 before President Obama appointed him to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition in 2013.
Robles wrote his book Unstoppable soon after winning the 2011 NCAA Title. It was published in 2012 and acts as the inspiration for the movie of the same name. In recent years, Robles took over as wrestling coach at Mesa High School, where he went undefeated and earned an impressive 96-0 record during his junior and senior years under coach Bobby Williams. His mother, Judy Robles, graduated from Arizona State University in 2014 and earned her Doctorate of Education in 2022. She is currently the Assistant Dean of Students at Arizona State University.
Anthony Robles' Book Was Turned Into A Movie Through Ben Affleck & Matt Damon's Production Company
Other producers and actors were attached before Affleck & Damon stepped in
Unstoppable premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2024 before getting a limited release in theaters on December 6. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were two of the producers of the film along with the real-life Anthony Robles under their production company Artists Equity. The Los Angeles premiere of the film was scheduled for January 7, 2025 but was canceled due to the Palisades Fire. The making of Unstoppable experienced many pauses and setbacks but everything finally came to fruition in the hands of distributor Amazon MGM Studios.
Robles endured another difficult path just to get his Unstoppable book made into a film. After producers David Crockett and Andy Fraser initially bought the rights to his book in 2014, not long after its publication in the afterglow of Robles' 2011 NCAA championship victory, the project lost momentum. In November 2019, Unstoppable was acquired by 101 Studios with Seven Bucks Productions, Dwayne Johnson, and Dany Garcia attached to produce. Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton) was set to star before Jharrel Jerome landed the role. After Affleck and Damon took over, production was halted by COVID-19 and the SAG/WGA strikes. Just like in his sport, Robles stayed committed to the project and made it a reality.
What Else Anthony Robles Has Done After Graduating From ASU
Robles broke the world record for most pull-ups in 1 minute in 2018
Apart from being an author, film producer, ESPN analyst, motivational speaker, and NCAA national champion, Robles returned to Mesa High School to coach their wrestling team. Robles also was a double for his own character in Unstoppable, particularly during the competitive wrestling scenes that combined shots of Jerome's face with Robles' signature techniques on the mat. Robles also remarkably set the Guinness World Record for Most Pull-ups in 1 Minute in November 2018 during halftime of a New York Jets game reaching a total of 62. Both the Unstoppable movie and book prove that Anthony Robles is truly an unstoppable force both in life and on the wrestling mat.
Despite being born with one leg, Anthony Robles overcomes significant challenges both at home and in the competitive world of wrestling. His determination and relentless drive lead him to become an NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion, earning him national recognition and a place in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Release Date
September 10, 2024
Runtime
116 Minutes
CastJennifer Lopez
, Bobby Cannavale
, Shawn Hatosy
, Don Cheadle
, Michael Pena
, Jharrel Jerome
, Julianna Gamiz
, Timothy Beal
, Noen Perez
, Alex Barone
, Jacob John Caldwell
, Josh Stone
, Evan Shafran
, Kaleb Shorey
, Mason Eaglin
, Carlos Solórzano
, Roman Thomson
, Tande Mungwa
, Neil Wachs
, Mateo Ray Garcia
, Benjamin Barrett
, Gabe Kessler
, Serenity Starr Foreman
, Parker Sack
, Christopher Blonski
, David Sargsyan
, Stewart Jewett
, Chrissy Bergeron
Character(s)
Judy
, Rick
, Tom Brands
, Coach Shawn Charles
, Coach Bobby Williams
, Anthony Robles
, Ronnie Robles
, Asst Wrestling Coach and Spectator
, Nicholas Robles
, Taylor
, North Carolina Assistant Coach / Spectator
, Wrestler
, Keefe's Coach / Iowa Trainer
, Jack - Trainer
, Seasons Wrestler
, Andrew Robles
, ASU Wrestler
, College Wrestling Spectator
, Fan
, Tam's Burgers Customer
, Solis
, Mesa Wrestler
, ASU Student
, Dorian
, Cornell Wrestling Coach
, Wrestler Student
, Brian Smith ASU Asst. Coach
, Wrestler's mom
Director
William Goldenberg
Writers
John Hindman
, Eric Champnella
, Alex Harris
Custom Image by Diana Acuña
English (US) ·