SYLVESTER STALLONE "threw in the towel with" Formula
One CEO Bernie Ecclestone yesterday and announced that he
will "star in and direct a film centered on" the FedEx CART
series rather than on F-1 racing, according to Robin Miller
of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Stallone had talks with
Ecclestone while seeking to make a movie about F-1: "I
worked hard for two or three years in F-1, but there's a
certain individual who runs that sport that has his own
agenda and made it impossible to do a movie. ... I thought
we had a deal and every time I went to sign, Bernie would
raise the price. It's all about money to him." Stallone:
"[F-1] is very strictly run and extremely formal. It's
tough to get to know the personalities. CART is much more
of a family atmosphere and the people are eager to do this
project. ... Actually, this is a disaster that turned out in
my favor. So thank you, Bernie: now take the hatchet out of
my back." Stallone "hopes to begin shooting the movie in
June and plans a 2001 release date." Miller writes that
CART VP/Broadcasting Keith Allo "has been working on the
project" the past three months (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/10).
USA TODAY's Skip Wood reports that Stallone will play a
"semiretired, been-there-done-that driver who is called on
to serve as a mentor to a young racing whiz." LEONARDO
DICAPRIO tops Stallone's "wish list" for the role of the
younger driver. The film, tentatively titled "Champs," will
have a budget of $65-68M (USA TODAY, 2/10).
HOLLYWOOD EYES BASEBALL FILMS: DAILY VARIETY's Michael
Fleming reports that BILLY CRYSTAL "is looking to get behind
the camera" with "HOME RUN RACE: 61," an HBO picture about
the "kinship" between ROGER MARIS and MICKEY MANTLE during
the '61 season "as they chase Babe Ruth's record of 60
homers." Crystal and HBO Sports' ROSS GREENBURG will serve
as the film's Exec Producers (DAILY VARIETY, 2/10).
