Soderbergh eyeing Moneyball movie

[Kingdom]

Soderbergh, Pitt Have Eye on Moneyball
Source: Variety
February 6, 2009


Steven Soderbergh is in early talks to direct Moneyball, the Columbia Pictures adaptation of the Michael Lewis book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning An Unfair Game," reports Variety. The film will star Brad Pitt and is being adapted by Steven Zaillian.

Soderbergh is looking to make the picture his next directing assignment. He had been expected to next direct Cleo. Soderbergh had lined up Catherine Zeta-Jones to play the title character and had Hugh Jackman in his sights for Antony. Though he set his financing, Soderbergh decided to push back the film until next year, after Jackman dropped out because of scheduling problems.

Pitt, with whom Soderbergh has worked in all of the "Ocean's" films, has been circling Moneyball since last year, when Zaillian signed on to adapt the book. Marley & Me helmer David Frankel had been attached.

The book focuses on Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, as he used sophisticated computer analysis system to piece together a team that regularly contended for the World Series despite possessing a payroll dramatically lower than big-market rivals like the New York Yankees.

Al Pacino for George Steinbrenner! George Clooney as JP Riccardi! And Casey Affleck as Theo Epstein! Coming to a summer near you!

[realmofotalk]

Craig Davis as one of the first round draft busts!

[Kingdom]

Wrong sport, Sport!

[browntown653]

Demetri Martin as Paul DePodesta!

Demetri Martin Cast in Steven Soderbergh’s Moneyball | /Film

[realmofotalk]

Wrong choice. Should have picked Jason Bartha.


I still remember the time the Yankees vowed to never trade with DePo after he held up the Randy Johnson/Shawn Green three way trade. Good times.

[Kingdom]

They hired a 15 year old to be DePo? That says a lot.

[love_that_reefer]

This is going to be such an awful film!

[browntown653]

This is going to be such an awful film!

Highly doubtful if Soderbergh stays with the project...not to mention a great lead actor in Pitt. Does it sound like an Oscar winner? No...but Soderbergh has a great career.

[love_that_reefer]

Brad Pitt has been in piece of shit films and Soderbergh has made pieces of shit too. This is going to be one of them. Moneyball was an interesting book but it was also long-winded and not at all riveting.

[browntown653]

We'll agree to disagree I guess...I'm just interested because of the talent involved.

[love_that_reefer]

I bet you liked the Ocean's movies didn't you?

[missionhockey21]

Moneyball was an interesting book but it was also long-winded and not at all riveting.

Moneyball no longer is riveting, but it certainly opened my eyes when I read it in the summer of 2003. I read it though only a month or two after it came out so I didn't know all that it covered like many now do since the media has used and reused when talking about the A's/Red Sox/Indians etc over the years. Riveting in what makes a film riveting? Maybe not, but the book is the source and not the script so we'll have to wait and see as a lot of great films have come from so-so books and vice versa.

[love_that_reefer]

I just don't see the hook, the drama or any action to come of this. As one of the biggest baseball fans, I am not at all interested in seeing this film thinking it will be more boring than a Nationals/Pirates game.

[missionhockey21]

I agree with that, there will definitely have to be more of a conflict played up/created as the book was insightful more than anything.

[Kingdom]

They'll include a big showdown at the end, with Billy Beane and Bud Selig fighting atop a many storied tower that leads to Selig being thrown off in dramatic fashion. There will be explosions. Moneyball: Die Harder!