WB has set an official release date for 42, the Jackie Robinson biopic that Brian Helgeland and Legendary Pictures are developing.

The film will be in theaters about a year from now, April 12, 2013.

Relative newcomer Chadwick Boseman (who's worked primarily in television on shows like Fringe, Justified and Castle) is all set to play Jackie Robinson in the film, with Nicole Beharie as Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson, née Rachel Isum.

Also Harrison Ford will play the role of Branch Rickey in the film – the Brooklyn Dodgers' manager who made history by signing Robinson as the first black player in the history of the Major League Baseball organization.

Brian Helgeland will direct from a script he also wrote, which will tell Robinson's story, as the first African-American to play in the major leagues.

As I noted in a previous post, I really dig this casting; Helgeland went with young, promising Actors (emphasis mine). Neither is what you'd call an A-lister, or a *name.* A rarity when it comes to casting films with black casts. Helgeland could have gone with a rapper and a singer instead, but he didn't.

Just had to throw that last sentence in there 🙂

Kudos!

The film is listed as being in pre-production currently.

And let's not forget that a Hank Aaron biopic is also in development.