Tough get going
ESPN Films-Movies, Andell Entertainment and NFL Films are aiming to make "Lombardi," a drama about Vince Lombardi, one of the most famous coaches in the history of team sports in the U.S.
The plan is to release "Lombardi" in movie theaters the Friday between the conference championships and the Super Bowl in 2011, the 40th anniversary of the presentation of the Lombardi Trophy, which goes to the winner of the Super Bowl.
The vice president of ESPN Films-Movies, Ron Semiao, told Variety the aim is to promote the film during the playoffs.
"Our hope is to establish an annual franchise of an NFL-themed movie that comes out in theaters during that off week," Semiao said. "What better way to kick that off than with a film about the iconic coach they named the Super Bowl trophy after?"
Andell Entertainment is financing the development of the feature film, not ESPN.
Six years ago ESPN's entertainment division tried creating a movie about the Ice Bowl game between the Packers and Dallas Cowboys in 1967. ESPN announced the proposed deal with much fanfare and later announced with more hoo-hah that writer Joe Eszterhas had been hired to write the screenplay for the film.
Eszterhas dropped off the project, which never found a screenplay anyone wanted to make into a movie.
Now comes "Lombardi," which according to Variety will focus in part on the rivalry between Lombardi and Cowboys coach Tom Landry, whose calm demeanor contrasted with Lombardi's fiery personality.
Let's see if this one gets made.