Slap Shot is a 1977 American sports comedy film starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean. It depicts a minor league ice hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town. While the film received mixed reviews upon release and was only a moderate box office success, it has since become widely regarded as a cult classic. The film was followed by two direct-to video sequels, Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice (2002) and Slap Shot 3: The Junior League (2008). Paul Newman and the rest of the original cast did not participate in either sequel, with the exception of the Hanson Brothers, who had major roles in both.