Red Sox: David Ortiz to appear in “Patriots Day” film

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz will make an appearance as himself in the upcoming movie “Patriots Day“.

David Ortiz has been known for being a lot of things throughout his storied career with the Boston Red Sox. All-Star, World Series hero, future Hall of Famer. Movie star?

That may be the next step for the charismatic superstar, who will appear in the upcoming film, Patriots Day. The film will revisit the events of the terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013.

Fine, so Ortiz may not actually be the star of the film – that would be Mark Wahlberg, a Boston legend in his own right. That doesn’t mean that Big Papi won’t steal the show. He is expected to appear as himself, reenacting his speech addressing the fans at Fenway Park prior to the first home game the followed the Marathon bombings.

“This is our f—ing city. And nobody’s going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong!”

Those infamous words from Ortiz rallied a city that was recovering from tragedy, aiding in the creation of the Boston Strong mentality that helped fuel the 2013 Red Sox to a World Series title. Recapturing that emotional moment on screen has the potential to become a powerful scene that will resonate with viewers in Boston that were effected by the horrific events that shook the city two years ago.

“That’s the idea,” Ortiz told reporters on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Christina Kahrl. “Being proud of it, it’s one of the main reasons they want me in it. But I can say, [Wahlberg] went through some other details with me that, once you guys watch the movie, you guys are going to find out about. I’m excited.”

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Does Big Papi have a larger role to play beyond reenacting his speech? That seems to be what he’s hinting at. While he’s unlikely to be featured on screen for much more beyond his speech, perhaps we’ll get the chance to see Ortiz test his acting chops with some additional dialogue. He may even have an interaction with Wahlberg, who plays a Boston police officer in the film.

Patriots Day is scheduled for a limited release in theaters in Boston, New York and Los Angeles on Dec. 21, 2016, with a wider national release on Jan. 13, 2017. It will be directed by Peter Berg, with Wahlberg headlining an impressive cast that also includes Michelle Monaghan, J.K. Simmons, Kevin Bacon and John Goodman.

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With Ortiz playing out the final season of his epic career, is a transition to acting on the horizon? Probably not, but he does seem genuinely excited to be included in this film. Likewise, Red Sox fans will be excited to see their star slugger on the big screen, giving them one more reason to be enticed into seeing this film.