Anthony Jadus is a New York-based entertainment writer covering film, television, sports, and performance culture.
GOAT follows a young goat who gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play the intense fictional sport roarball with the pros, who are all kinds of animals. According to star Gabrielle Union and director Tyree Dillihay, the movie features deeper messaging about who young athletes choose to idolize and how sports can reshape cultural expectations.
In an interview with ScreenRant's Ash Crossan for GOAT, Union and director Dillihay explained the deeper meaning behind a moment early in the film when Will praises his idol and hero Jett as"the GOAT." This moment highlights a young boy looking up to a female athlete. Union connected the moment to her children and sports fandom, saying: Oh, it's everything. I have a 7-year-old daughter who looks up to Angel Reese. She wants to meet Angel Reese; Angel Reese is the end-all be-all. And I've gone to many Sky games, and there's a line of children, boys and girls, with her shoes and her T-shirts. They all want to be like Angel Reese, and it's completely normal. But we don't see the normalization of boys looking up to girls or women, certainly not in pop culture and media. This brings it to the big screen, that sentiment that your heroes don't have to be the cookie-cutter guys that they always are pushing. You can find heroes with the smalls. You can find heroes that maybe look a little different than what you're steered towards. Research from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative also shows that women still make up only about one-third of speaking roles in major films. Recent titles such as Him and The Boys in the Boat, as well as movies focusing on basketball like Coach Carter and Hustle, largely center on male athletes and coaches, while ones built around women remain relatively rare. Director Dillihay said the film's approach was intentional:"The fact that we can make a league where males and females were both equally physically yoked, and it was true to the animal kingdom... That's a powerful message, for a boy to look up to a girl and vice versa. That's what sports is, especially for WNBA basketball." Dillihay added: The WNBA was founded around '95, '96. There was a period where those little girls were looking at the Michael Jordans and Magic Johnsons of the world, but now they look at people like A'ja Wilson, Angel Reese, people who are in our film. They're the new icons, so we wanted to bring that in, especially with the explosion of women's basketball over the last five years. Remember, I've been working on this thing for seven and a half years, so we're right in tune with the world. It's like the perfect storm. It's going to hit the world like a comet, I swear. Because sports movies often function as inspirational stories aimed at children, the heroes shown on screen can influence how young viewers imagine themselves growing up. As visibility for women's sports continues to grow, with many TV shows and movies like Ted Lasso and now GOAT aiming to mirror a new generation of fans, more discussions are coming up about who a hero can be. Screen Rant Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. GOAT debuted to a strong Rotten Tomatoes score and is mostly unique in its genre at the box office this weekend, so the message could reach many people going to see it. For Union and Dillihay, the goal is not to present this idea as groundbreaking, but normal, and as this interview confirmed, the filmmakers hope audiences, especially younger viewers, will recognize themselves and understand the shift in this animated feature. GOAT 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Family Comedy Animation Release Date February 13, 2026 Runtime 93 minutes Director Tyree Dillihay Cast See All Writers Aaron Buchsbaum, Teddy Riley, Nicolas Curcio Producers Rodney Rothman, Stephen Curry, Michelle Raimo Kouyate, Erick Peyton, Adam Rosenberg Powered by Expand Collapse
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘GOAT’ Star Caleb McLaughlin Shares His Blunt Take on ‘Stranger Things’ “Conformity Gate”The well-reviewed animated film marks his first project since the Netlix series wrapped — and generated a strange theory from fans who weren't ready to say goodbye.
Read more »
He dreams of becoming the 'Goat' in a sports movie that lacks competitive edgeProduced by Stephen Curry (who also voices a giraffe), Sony's by-the-numbers animated sports movie reduces inspiration, drive and problem-solving to predictable beats.
Read more »
‘GOAT’ Review: Caleb McLaughlin, Stephen Curry and Gabrielle Union Voice Vivid and Amusing Animated Sports FableA small goat aspires to play pro ball in a league populated by big animals in Sony Pictures Animation's latest effort, with Jennifer Hudson and Aaron Pierre among supporting vocal talent.
Read more »
Watch Caleb McLaughlin Get Kicked in the Nuts While Promoting 'Goat'Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair in a basketball uniform looking serious in Stranger Things.
Read more »
ScreenRant Movie Review Roundup: Wuthering Heights, Crime 101, GOAT & More!Catherine (Margo Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) look at each other in Wutheriing Heights (2026)
Read more »
Stephen Curry's 'GOAT': The making of roarball with director Tyree DillihayDirector Tyree Dillihay breaks down the film -- plus a guide to every NBA and WNBA player in it.
Read more »