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After the disappointing returns for the unfortunately underrated "Fright Night," followed by his exit on "Pride And Prejudice And Zombies," director Craig Gillespie is dusting himself off and picking himself up. This summer he got attached to direct Will Ferrell in "The Flamingo Thief," and now he's headed to the baseball diamond with Jon Hamm.
Gillespie is in negotiations to direct "Million Dollar Arm" for Disney. Based on a true story, Hamm will play sports agent J.B. Bernstein who discovered professional pitchers through a reality show he staged in India with cricket players. The show he develops finds him teaching the contestants about American culture, baseball and how to speak English. The script was penned by Tom McCarthy ("Win Win," "The Visitor") and when we chatted with him last year, he shared a bit more on the story and tone.
"It’s a great story, very human story… It’s going to be focused on this relationship between the agent and the players. It starts out as this contest, but then this guy moves in with them. They become part of his life, which is pretty funny," he explained.
No word yet on when it might roll, but it will have to wait for Hamm, who is now on set for the sixth season of "Mad Men," with the premiere shooting in Hawaii. But from Don Draper to J.B. Bernstein, and vampire and zombies to cricket and baseball? "Million Dollar Arm" might be decent change of pace for both Gillespie and Hamm. [Variety]