Former Eagle stars in upcoming prison drama 'Crown Heights'

Former Eagle Nnamdi Asomugha will star in a new prison drama coming out this month via Amazon Studios.

Dubbed Crown Heights, the film is based on the story of Colin Warner, who was arrested in 1980 at age 18 in connection with a murder he didn't commit. Convicted of the crime and sentenced to life in prison, Warner spent 21 years in prison before being exonerated. The story, Variety notes, was adapted from an episode of This American Life.

Asomugha will play Carl King, a friend of Warner's who worked to have him freed. Atlanta star Lakeith Stanfield will play Warner.

The film initially debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic Film. Amazon Studios purchased the rights to the film for about $2 million following its premiere at Sundance, the Los Angeles Times reports.

In Philadelphia, Asomugha is perhaps best known as a former cornerback for the Eagles, a position he held for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Having initially signed a five-year, $60 million deal with the team, Asomugha was released following the 2012 season after unsuccessful deal restructuring talks.

Elsewhere, however, Asomugha is known as the husband of Scandal star Kerry Washington, whom he married in 2013. Currently, the couple has two children: daughter Isabelle Amarachi and son Caleb Kelechi.

Crown Heights is scheduled to be released in Philadelphia Sept. 1. Watch the trailer below: