We would love to be screenwriter Allan Loeb’s agent right now. The writer is currently one of the hottest properties around town, having penned a number of upcoming films including “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” “Cheaters,” “The Switch” and “Just Go With It.” And now another pitch of his has found a home, this time with Disney. It’s an untitled baseball dramedy and Bradley Cooper is attached to star.
The film is about “a baseball player who gets injured and has to go back to the minors where the only place he can find lodging is in a senior citizens’ home. There, he meets an old baseball guru who helps lead him back.” Yeah, it seems a little bit corny but as a commenter on THR points out, the film may have found its inspiration in the real life story of major league pitcher Josh Faiola.
Back in 1999, Faiola was playing in the minors for Lake Erie Crushers and was given housing in Belvedere of Westlake assisted living facility. It’s standard practice for minor league teams, who don’t have the cash of their big league counterparts, to put up their players with host families, but this situation took it to a whole new level. But with a warm greeting and new fans in his elderly neighbors, Faiola was touched by their support.
The film is being described as a cross between “Scent Of A Woman” and “The Rookie” (the 2002 Dennis Quaid film) and being acquired by Disney, it appears they are making a bit of room for non-toy related films. As you might recall, they recently put the kibosh on Jerry Bruckheimer’s WWII film “Killing Rommel” for not being Happy Meal friendly.
Production on the film probably won’t happen until 2011. A script needs to be written and Cooper will be busy the rest of the year shooting “The Hangover 2” and potentially the man vs. nature film “The Grey” with Joe Carnahan.