Movie ‘The Senior’ Filmed in Haltom City: A Redemption Story

The streets of Haltom City are not usually filled with the magic of Hollywood. However, on a simple day at Birdville Stadium, under the familiar Texas sun, a different story was told. One about redemption, football and the audacity to dream big, even when the world says your time has passed.

This wasn’t the glitz and glamor of an A-list star strolling around Fort Worth, stealing selfies and headlines (possibly tied to a Taylor Sheridan project). No, this was a story of grit and heart, set six miles from downtown Fort Worth, in a place where the air carries the faint hum of high school football legends. Here, a film crew turned a small-town stadium into a movie set for “The Senior,” a film that, like its story, refuses to be ignored.

At the center is Mike Flynt, played by Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”), a man who at 59 decided he wasn’t done. Kicked from his college football team decades earlier for a mistake that was never forgiven, Mike discovers a loophole: a final year of eligibility. Then he comes back. Back to school, back to the countryside and once again facing the ghost of his younger self. It’s a story that’s as much about touchdowns as it is about addressing generational trauma, strained relationships, and what it means to be a man in a world that keeps moving forward. At least that’s how the movie was described in Holder.

Rod Lurie (“The Contender”) directs with an eye toward the quiet moments that make the greats sing.

The cast? It’s stacked. Mary Stuart Masterson provides depth as Flynt’s wife, Eileen. Rob Corddry, always a delight, adds levity. And then there’s Brandon Flynn, James Badge Dale, names you’ll soon know if you don’t already.

But what sets “The Senior” apart isn’t just its all-star lineup or its heartfelt script by Robert Eisele (“The Great Debaters”). It is the story itself. Mike Flynt’s journey isn’t just about football; it’s about finishing what you started, no matter how long it takes. It’s about Sul Ross State University, where Flynt’s return to real life occurred, and the pride of a community that can now share its story with the world.

Behind the scenes, there is a dream team that makes this happen. Producers Mark Ciardi (“The Rookie“, “Invincible), Justin Baldoni (“It Ends with Us”) and Manu Gargi (“The Peanut Butter Falcon”) bring their love of underdog stories. Meanwhile, Wayfarer Studios and Allen Media Group are preparing for the film’s national release in March 2025. The premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival already proved it: audiences applaud, cry, and it all works.

For Flynt, it’s surreal. “I never dreamed anyone would care about an old guy playing college football,” he told Sul Ross State University Athletics (SRSU) in a 2022 article. But that’s the thing about stories like his: They remind us why we love the movies first. They are a little larger than life, but close enough to look real.

The film is not just about Flynt’s journey: it is also a spotlight for SRSU and the Alpine community, bringing his story to a national stage.

“I think it will be great for my school, the alumni who participated. It will reinvigorate your love for our school. “I’m excited about it,” Flynt said.