The creators of GOAT discuss seven years of development and collaborating with Steph Curry to honor the game of basketball.
Sony Pictures Animation’s GOAT is a high-energy, animal-centric take on the world of professional basketball. Set in an all-animal world where the fastest and fiercest compete in a sport called roarball, the film follows Will, a small underdog who dreams of playing in a league dominated by alpha predators. More than just a sports movie, it is a “generation-defining” story about finding one’s lane, proving the doubters wrong, and the powerful bond between a son and his mother.
The film’s journey was recently celebrated during an immersive press day at Sony Pictures Animation, where attendees were treated to a look behind the curtain. The day culminated in an insightful Q&A session with the creative trio behind the project: Director Tyree Dillihay, Co-director Adam Rosette, and Producer Michelle Raimo Kouyate.
The team shared details on the film’s seven-and-a-half-year development, their collaboration with NBA legend Steph Curry, and their mission to create a “love letter to basketball” that resonates with everyone, regardless of if they are a sports fan or not.
The Evolution Of The Roarball World
The creators reflected on the early stages of development and how the project evolved from a simple concept into a contemporary sports epic.
- Tyree Dillihay: “In 2018, the general idea was an underdog sports movie populated by animals in an all-animal world… What if this all-animal world played a sport like NBA basketball, which we called it roarball? It’s where the fastest, fiercest, most ferocious alpha animals on the planet compete on these crazy biomes”.
- Adam Rosette: “If it’s just winning, it’s just another sports movie. So for us, we were like, ‘Well, what’s the relatability? How do you get into it? How do you make this about more than just winning the game?’ When we cracked the code, it was about wanting to prove to his mom – that kind of opened up the world emotionally for us”.
A Modern, Co-ed League
One of the most significant creative choices was making the roarball league co-ed, a decision the team felt was both authentic to nature and necessary for a modern story.
- Tyree Dillihay: “The league from the very beginning was gonna be co-ed because it’s true to the animal kingdom. You can have alpha females, you can have beta males, and vice versa. It [provided] more emotional stakes if it was a younger male mentee with an older female mentor”.
- Michelle Raimo Kouyate: “This notion of the co-ed team with the female lead, 1000%, drew me to wanna produce the movie. I can attest to that this movie is universal – the best sports movies transcend the sport”.
The Influence Of Basketball Icons
To ensure the film felt authentic, the team collaborated with NBA champions and focused on the intricate details of basketball culture.
- Adam Rosette: “Will’s shot form is exactly Steph Curry’s – single motion, little bit of gap under his [palm] – we got in there. But the story we wanted to make sure resonated for people who love basketball as much as we do, as well as for people who may or may not love the sport”.
- Michelle Raimo Kouyate: “[Steph Curry] is insanely coachable. That was like the most incredible thing about him. He came into that voice acting session never having done it before, and he was like, ‘Just coach me, tell me what to do.’ He listens, and he grabs it, and he works really, really hard”.
Protecting The Emotional Heart
Despite the high-octane action inherent in a sports film, the directors were adamant about protecting the quieter, more vulnerable moments of the story.
- Tyree Dillihay: “We actually talked in great length about how much screen time should be devoted to quiet moments and frenetic moments. Let’s find the peaks and valleys of the movie. You need to breathe to let these quiet moments resonate”.
- Adam Rosette: “We decided there’s more power in quiet. Let the audience sit in that. Let them feel this. We don’t shy away from the emotion. We want you to feel it”.
About GOAT
From Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, comes GOAT, an original action-comedy set in an all-animal world.
The story follows Will, a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball - a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that “smalls can ball!”
