Steven Soderbergh to try and make another baseball movie
Not Moneyball, according to MTV Movies blogger Larry Carroll:
“Yeah, I have another idea for a baseball movie that actually doesn’t have any baseball in it,” the “Informant!” filmmaker revealed to us recently and more than a bit cryptically. “I am going to see MLB when I’m in New York to talk to them about it.”
Soderbergh understandably dodged our follow-up questions like a runner on third caught in a botched suicide squeeze, but he did offer a few key tidbits of information: The film will focus on a real-life baseball player (asked if the player’s name would be recognizable to fans, he said “yes”), it follows a story that goes far beyond the diamond and is sensitive enough that he feels the need to get Major League Baseball’s blessing.
“It’s a true story,” explained the Oscar-winning filmmaker. “I don’t want to jinx it, because it would involve life rights. I want to talk to [MLB] and say ‘If I did a movie on this subject, would you be cool with this? What kind of cooperation can I expect?’”
Carroll speculates that it could be a Jose Canseco/steroids or a Pete Rose kind of thing. Those ideas sound too ESPN-cheapie-movie to me. Any guesses about what real-life baseball story would be Soderbergh-worthy? He already did “Solaris” and I can’t see anything moving slower than that, so “The Steve Trachsel Story” is out.
Josh Hamilton?
Billy Bean. Not that one, the other one.
Two very good guesses. I’d love to see the Billy Bean one.
Gay baseball player, that was Piazza right, joking, kinda.
It couldn’t be Bonds, could it?
I was thinking something along the lines of Josh Hamilton, too.
JR Richard, Ken Caminiti, Donnie Moore, Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden?
Plenty of drama outside of baseball in those stories.
How about the struggle of a Cuban defector?
But not sure who would be a big enough name.
Strasburg/Boras?
Manny’s exodus from Boston?
a baseball movie that actually doesn’t have any baseball in it
Didn’t they make this aleady? It was called “Bull Durham.”
Curt Flood seems like the most obvious choice.
A question for the lawyers: If the movie doesn’t actually have baseball in it, would Soderbergh really need MLB’s blessing if it were a retired player?
Uh oh….I just had an awful thought. Not Ted Williams, I hope.
Moe Berg?
Second Moe Berg, but as a wish, not a guess. I’m not sure if he’d need MLB blessing for that one.
The Rabbit, I thought Ted Williams too, though I would be happy if they did it. I think there’s a ton of potential with the Splinter’s career and life.
Gotta be Dykstra.
That last paragraph is interesting. He mentions “life rights” and talking to MLB, but not about talking to the actual player. Maybe he has already and got his blessing, but maybe the player is no longer around?
+1 for the Trachsel/Solaris joke.
Could be Ron Santo, though I’m not sure if that story really has legs.
(I am SO SORRY.)
The original Solaris (by a Russian director named Tarkovsky, I think) is certainly the slowest movie that I’ve really liked. Infinitely slower than most popular movies.
I saw an even slower movie by the same director, and that one I totally didn’t get. Argh. But I found Solaris hypnotic, contemplative, moving.
I don’t suppose the Soderbergh movie could be about the family-swapping Yankee pitchers? Maybe Soderbergh has been looking at the movie ideas in the Historical Abstract…
Don’t feel bad Chris, I laughed.
Chris- I laughed too. Nice work.
My first thought was Bonds.
Doc Ellis. No hitter on acid. Beaning 3 guys in a row while hopped up on speed. Turns life around and becomes drug counselor. I’d go see it.
It’s going to be about Jeff Blauser. Steve told me last night.
How about Kevin Mitchell and his girlfriend’s cat?
(Did you ever see the ORIGINAL Solaris? WTF? I had to apologize to my gf for taking her to see that one. Cost me a nice dinner.)
Gotta be Milton Bradley. @$$holes put butts in seats.
Lyman Bostock?
Toe Nash?
our pal zell has some new demolition yankee stadium photos:
http://zellspinstripeblog.com/2009/10/11/demoliton-of-yankee-stadium-photos-the-field-level-is-coming-down/
“He already did “Solaris” and I can’t see anything moving slower than that…”
Well, there’s the original “Solyaris” for one.