Anyone who is even remotely familiar with the world of sports most likely knows the story of MLB star Josh Hamilton. Drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999, Hamilton was touted as the second coming of Mickey Mantle at the time; however, drug and alcohol addiction took hold of his life, and it looked like he would never quite reach those heights. But after being traded to the Texas Rangers in 2008, a newly-sober Hamilton had a career renaissance that continues to this day.
Now Deadline is reporting that Casey Affleck is planning to write and direct a movie based on the slugger's life for Thunder Road Pictures and producer Basil Iwanyk.
“I truly think this guy’ story is one of the most inspiring stories I’ve ever read,” Iwanyk told the site. “It’s also tailor-made for a movie: it has the mythic quality of The Natural, the faith-based angle of The Blind Side, and faith is a major part of our story, and the romance of Walk the Line. Casey has totally captured those elements in his take for the movie. It is an extraordinary odyssey that took him from the depths of drug addiction, estrangement from his family, and suspension from baseball to a spectacular rebirth of his life, faith, marriage and major league career.”
The website is reporting that Warner Bros. will have the first opportunity to buy the rights to the film because of its relationship with Iwanyk. Needless to say, this could be one of the most powerful sports movies in decades if handled with care.
[via Deadline]
