Dennis Rodman’s infamous vacation to turn into Lionsgate feature film, ‘48 Hours in Vegas’
Those of you who saw The Last Dance, the docuseries that detailed Michael Jordan’s last season with the Chicago Bulls in 1997-98, will recall the episode about Dennis Rodman wanting to go on vacation to Las Vegas right in the middle of that season. Rodman’s disappearance from the Bulls thereafter will now become the subject of a Lionsgate feature film, ‘48 Hours in Vegas’.
The film will be produced by Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood for Lord Miller. It is being written by Jordan VanDina while Dennis Rodman himself will serve as an executive producer on the film. The film takes some creative liberties around Rodman’s crazy weekend, giving viewers an insight into the man and his personality.
Dennis Rodman's legendary NBA career
Dennis Rodman remains one of the most enigmatic NBA superstars of all time. He won five NBA championships, two with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990 and was then part of the iconic three-peat Chicago Bulls team between 1996-98. He was known for his colored hair and tattooed body long before these became fashionable in the NBA. His nicknames ‘The Worm’, ‘Dennis the Menace’ and ‘Rodzilla’ reflected his temperament.
“Dennis refused to follow the herd,” Lord and Miller said in a statement. “That is what made him a target and it’s also what made him a star. His weekend in Las Vegas is full of fun and hijinks, but it is also full of important questions about the way public figures, and workers are treated, especially when their individuality is expressed so vividly.”
The episode about Rodman wanting the vacation was detailed by Jordan on The Last Dance. Of course, Rodman’s vacation lasted more than 48 hours, with Jordan having to drag him out of bed after he returned to Chicago but didn’t show up for team practice. Rodman’s then-girlfriend Carmen Electra says on The Last Dance, “It was definitely an occupational hazard being Dennis’ girlfriend. He was wild.”
But Dennis Rodman didn’t just make headlines for his eccentric behavior and fashion choices. He's a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, seven-time rebounding champion and eight-time All-Defensive Team member. He averaged 13.1 rebounds per game for his career despite being listed at only 6-7. Even his harshest critics agree that he was one of the greatest defenders of all time. Rodman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Dennis Rodman was also the subject of a recent ESPN 30-for-30 documentary, Rodman: For Better or Worse. He also made news for his friendship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, resulting in Rodman visiting the country a few times.
Also read: 25 years on: Remembering the 72-10 Chicago Bulls from the 1995-96 NBA season