Temple Hill Entertainment has "acquired the feature film rights" to Cavaliers G KYRIE IRVING's "Uncle Drew" Pepsi commercials," according to sources cited by Justin Kroll of VARIETY. JAY LONGINO is set to "write the script and Irving is attached to reprise the role of Drew." Temple Hill's MARTY BOWEN, WYCK GODFREY and JOHN FISCHER will "produce the film, described as a love letter to basketball." The original Pepsi Max advertisements showed Irving "playing a 70-plus-year-old man, Drew, who would show up to pick-up basketball games and school kids half his age." Described as "BLUES BROTHERS" in the pick-up basketball world, Longino's pitch "shows Drew and his old squad on the legendary Rucker Park basketball court in Harlem." Years later, Drew is "talked into returning to the courts to compete in a tournament and goes on a road trip to round the old squad up to play." Kroll noted Pepsi was "game for Longino and Temple Hill’s idea for the movie, so much so that they are planning to fully fund development of the project while producers begin packaging the elements to take out to studios." In terms of an NBA presence outside of Irving, Longino said that the plan "all along -- once the rights were secured -- is that plenty of stars pop up throughout the film" (VARIETY.com, 2/9).
SPY GAME: DEADLINE's Mike Fleming Jr. reported actors PAUL GIAMATTI and JEFF DANIELS are joining PAUL RUDD and GUY PEARCE in "CATCHER WAS A SPY," a drama directed by BEN LEWIN and written by ROBERT RODAT. Rudd will play late former MLBer MOE BERG, who was an Ivy League grad and also an attorney "who spoke nine languages." He "played pro for 15 seasons, mostly as a backup catcher." However, he is "best known for being a top-secret spy for the OSS who helped the U.S. win the race against Germany to build the atomic bomb." Fleming noted the film "focuses on Berg’s most important mission: infiltrating the circle of WERNER HEISENBERG, the enigmatic lead scientist for the Nazi atomic program" (DEADLINE.com, 2/9).
START YOUR ENGINES: VARIETY's Dave McNary noted Lionsgate "acquired U.S. distribution rights to the KEANU REEVES auto racing movie 'RALLY CAR' at the start of the Berlin Film Festival." The movie will be directed by OLIVIER MEGATON from a script by JEREMY LOTT. "Rally Car" tells the story of a "self-centered American NASCAR driver who revitalizes his career by entering an international Rally Car race across the face of China" (VARIETY.com, 2/9). NBCSPORTS.com's Daniel McFadin notes "Rally Car" "isn’t the only upcoming movie that NASCAR will be a part of." The film "LOGAN LUCKY" is "scheduled for release" in October. Directed by STEVEN SODERBERGH, the movie "depicts a heist that takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway during a NASCAR race." Production was "on hand at Charlotte last October during the Bank of America 500." NASCAR drivers KYLE BUSCH, CARL EDWARDS, BRAD KESELOWSKI, JOEY LOGANO, RYAN BLANEY and KYLE LARSON "will have cameos" in the film. The main cast includes DANIEL CRAIG, CHANNING TATUM, ADAM DRIVER and KATIE HOLMES (NBCSPORTS.com, 2/9).
SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS: ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reproted former MLBer PRINCE FIELDER is "diving into a new field with a cooking-and-interview show called 'FIELDER'S CHOICE,' which he'll co-host with his wife." Fielder: "That's going to be streaming on Netflix and Hulu. It's coming out around the beginning of spring training in March, I believe. It's not just baseball people. It's a mixture of baseball people, actors, musicians, chefs and whatnot. They bring out different dishes, and at the end of the show, I give the one I like the most the 'Fielder's choice.' It's good TV." He noted actor CHAZZ PALMINTERI, singer JOSE FELICIANO and Yankees P CC SABATHIA are among the guests slated to appear on the show (ESPN.com, 2/10). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Patrick Hipes reported suspended USWNT G HOPE SOLO has "signed a deal with INvelop Entertainment to develop and produce unscripted TV content." The first project under the pact is a "new season of the sports medical series 'THE CUTTING EDGE,' with Solo attached to host." The series "follows athletes and the risks of sports injuries, and treatment and rehabilitation methods using the most current research" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 2/9).
