CASTING 2014's GREAT
AMERICAN SPORTS MOVIE
We’ve all seen it done.
Everyone at some point or another has seen at least a few sports movies, and at this point, knows the script. By and large, the stories in these movies are the same. There’s some kind of obstacle that a team or individual has to overcome, and what do you know, at the end they do just that.
Oh, and a speech. There's always a speech.
Everyone at some point or another has seen at least a few sports movies, and at this point, knows the script. By and large, the stories in these movies are the same. There’s some kind of obstacle that a team or individual has to overcome, and what do you know, at the end they do just that.
Oh, and a speech. There's always a speech.
For our hypothetical film, we’re going to stick with the hot topic, in season sport of American Football. There have been several fun football movies and shows over the years, including but not limited to “Friday Night Lights,” “Any Given Sunday,” “The Longest Yard,” and “Remember the Titans.”
Obviously, in films like this we’ll have our archetypes, so we’ll get right into our perfect 2014 sports movie. For all intensive purposes here, we'll title our movie "THE OUTLAWS," based on the team that the movie will be based around.
Head Coach Rich Winters: The new-school, Pete Carroll-type head coach. He hangs out with his players after games, talks on their level, and just seems like an all around good guy. When it comes time to get down to business, however, he's all about it.
To be played by: Bryan Cranston.
Going to the acclaimed television actor pool here, it would be almost too obvious a pick to go with Kyle Chandler, who for years played everyone’s man crush in Coach Eric Taylor on “Friday Night Lights.” The thing about that is: we’ve already seen that character. Cranston has proven to be one of the most versatile actors working today, and this gives him a chance to go the complete opposite direction from his iconic role as Walter White in “Breaking Bad.” I think that he has the chops to be a fun, but inspiring coach character to fit that archetype.
Quarterback Chip Silver: Star of the team since he's been drafted, and a media darling,but also a serial party animal, Chip Silver is part Tom Brady, Part Johnny Manziel, but 100% about him. He's always been the star of the team, but within the last two years, one of his old teammates has joined him- Wide Reciever Mookie Johnson. The two share a Jay Cutler-Brandon Marshall type chemistry-until Johnson starts attracting as much, or more attention, than his quarterback teammate.
To be played by: Chris Pratt
Obviously, in films like this we’ll have our archetypes, so we’ll get right into our perfect 2014 sports movie. For all intensive purposes here, we'll title our movie "THE OUTLAWS," based on the team that the movie will be based around.
Head Coach Rich Winters: The new-school, Pete Carroll-type head coach. He hangs out with his players after games, talks on their level, and just seems like an all around good guy. When it comes time to get down to business, however, he's all about it.
To be played by: Bryan Cranston.
Going to the acclaimed television actor pool here, it would be almost too obvious a pick to go with Kyle Chandler, who for years played everyone’s man crush in Coach Eric Taylor on “Friday Night Lights.” The thing about that is: we’ve already seen that character. Cranston has proven to be one of the most versatile actors working today, and this gives him a chance to go the complete opposite direction from his iconic role as Walter White in “Breaking Bad.” I think that he has the chops to be a fun, but inspiring coach character to fit that archetype.
Quarterback Chip Silver: Star of the team since he's been drafted, and a media darling,but also a serial party animal, Chip Silver is part Tom Brady, Part Johnny Manziel, but 100% about him. He's always been the star of the team, but within the last two years, one of his old teammates has joined him- Wide Reciever Mookie Johnson. The two share a Jay Cutler-Brandon Marshall type chemistry-until Johnson starts attracting as much, or more attention, than his quarterback teammate.
To be played by: Chris Pratt
Who better to lead the team than the man who broke through to stardom in 2014’s summer movie season? As the lead character in the biggest hit movie of the year, “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Pratt showed that he has the humor,the wit, as well as the look and presence to lead a movie. I can totally imagine Pratt (in shape, how he looked in Guardians as opposed to his out-of-shape look in “Parks and Recreation) as a cocky, sarcastic quarterback, ready to lead a team into a game.
Wide Receiver Mookie Johnson: As we already touched on above, the conflict between best friends/new rivals Johnson and Silver will be most of the driving conflict behind the movie. The team, which will obviously be called The Outlaws (Why else would that be the title of the movie?) will depend on these two super-talented players, but will their separate egos allow for them to succeed? Johnson is loud, exciting, and everything that people want to see in professional football today.
To be played by: Michael B. Jordan
Another of the year’s breakout stars, Jordan has been around football in the past, as he starred in seasons 4 and 5 as Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights. In that, he was a quarterback-in here our 2014 sports movie spectacular, he’ll be a Wide Receiver. Throughout the film, this will be an issue that Winters, the coach, will have to help them to solve. Jordan was a quiet kid in FNL, but he has previously played the loud, attention seeking guy- in 2012's "Chronicle," where he played a popular kid in High School who mysteriously gained super powers.
Wide Receiver Mookie Johnson: As we already touched on above, the conflict between best friends/new rivals Johnson and Silver will be most of the driving conflict behind the movie. The team, which will obviously be called The Outlaws (Why else would that be the title of the movie?) will depend on these two super-talented players, but will their separate egos allow for them to succeed? Johnson is loud, exciting, and everything that people want to see in professional football today.
To be played by: Michael B. Jordan
Another of the year’s breakout stars, Jordan has been around football in the past, as he starred in seasons 4 and 5 as Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights. In that, he was a quarterback-in here our 2014 sports movie spectacular, he’ll be a Wide Receiver. Throughout the film, this will be an issue that Winters, the coach, will have to help them to solve. Jordan was a quiet kid in FNL, but he has previously played the loud, attention seeking guy- in 2012's "Chronicle," where he played a popular kid in High School who mysteriously gained super powers.
Middle Linebacker Eddie Bowman- Leader of the defense, and longest-tenured player on the team, Bowman is the team's moral compass. He is nearing the end of his career, and wants to try to get past the nonsense that the offense is always creating, and just win football games.
To be played by: Anthony Mackie
Mackie was another actor to have a semi-breakout this year, playing a main role in anohter hit action movie, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Mackie was in “Pain and Gain” a few years ago as a bodybuilder, so he definitely is capable to bulk up enough to play a strong defensive player, and his humor but dependability shows that he is capable of playing a character who sort of would need to keep the others in check.
To be played by: Anthony Mackie
Mackie was another actor to have a semi-breakout this year, playing a main role in anohter hit action movie, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Mackie was in “Pain and Gain” a few years ago as a bodybuilder, so he definitely is capable to bulk up enough to play a strong defensive player, and his humor but dependability shows that he is capable of playing a character who sort of would need to keep the others in check.
Commissioner Carl Milford- Every movie has its villain, and Milford will have to serve that role as the corrupt league boss in "The Outlaws." Everyone hates Roger Goodell these days, so who better to serve as the movie's villain than the old league commissioner who's been around the block for years and years, and suddenly fears that his league's "integrity" is dwindling, when characters like Silver and Johnson start getting the spotlight.
To be played by: Robert De Niro
One of the best actors ever, De Niro would be the anchor of the otherwise relatively young cast as the NFL’s commissioner, Carl Milford. He would serve as the film’s villain—someone who is a real “old school” kind of guy, who is willing to go to any means to make sure that the hot-headed and “new-school” style of the team described above doesn’t win. De Niro never goes out of style, and recently got yet another Oscar nomination for his role in another football related movie, “Silver Linings Playbook.”
So, there it is. The key cogs in the machine of what would be the greatest sports movie we can make in the year of 2014. You’d know exactly how it would end but it wouldn’t matter. Getting there is all the fun.
To be played by: Robert De Niro
One of the best actors ever, De Niro would be the anchor of the otherwise relatively young cast as the NFL’s commissioner, Carl Milford. He would serve as the film’s villain—someone who is a real “old school” kind of guy, who is willing to go to any means to make sure that the hot-headed and “new-school” style of the team described above doesn’t win. De Niro never goes out of style, and recently got yet another Oscar nomination for his role in another football related movie, “Silver Linings Playbook.”
So, there it is. The key cogs in the machine of what would be the greatest sports movie we can make in the year of 2014. You’d know exactly how it would end but it wouldn’t matter. Getting there is all the fun.
