Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

Paige Kimball, director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, became involved as a consultant when Atchison contacted her for advice on the authenticity of his script. Her first impression was “Wow!” She was impressed with his attention to detail and how inspirational it was. Then, on visits to the set, she became even more excited. “I was amazed at not only at how precise it was in its recreation,” Kimball says, “but also how authentic the individuals and the casting for the event was. It was phenomenal. The spellers looked like the real spellers. The judges looked like the real judges. It was very exciting.”

With such an incredible film, Lionsgate was looking for innovative ways to get audiences to sit up and take notice. Simultaneously, Starbucks Entertainment was looking was for the first film to introduce to their customers and had the opportunity to screen the film. “When we saw “Akeelah and the Bee” we immediately realized that it was a perfect choice for our first film selection. The film’s inspirational message about a community coming together to support one of its own aligns directly with Starbucks values,” said Ken Lombard, president, Starbucks Entertainment. “Doug is a talented writer and director and the cast is exceptional. We’re excited to give our millions of customers the opportunity to discover this film – we know they are going to love it.”

Sid Ganis feels that audiences can look forward to an inspiring tale that’s full of excitement. “I call it a sports movie, one that's full of emotion. People will cry. You root for the spellers because they're kids so you'll have the visceral feeling of rooting for the movie as well.”

In the end, Atchison set out to make a moving story that will have audiences cheering for the special little girl at the center of it all. “When I was ten years old, I saw “Rocky” for the first time and anybody from my era would tell you that this type of movie triggered everything for them. I didn't know anything about boxing when I was that age. But I knew what this guy was going through and I had his back. There's a lot of that in this story. The idea of not being afraid of that thing you do the best, not permitting circumstance to confine you but to find your voice and your talent. Own it and to be proud of it and do it. It's not a story about learning how to spell but about a kid who learns what she's good at, becomes proud of that and doesn't want to hide it anymore. It's overcoming the fear of being great, before you can be great.”

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