Lionsgate has hired The Intruder director Deon Taylor to helm the football-themed crime drama, Free Agents. Taylor has also co-written the script alongside Joe Bockol, which focuses on a group of professional American football players turning to crime to get back at the owners who are exploiting and under paying them.
Lionsgate reportedly envisions the film as high octane in the vein of Heat or The Town. It seems the sports aspect will just be a means to an end, and the idea is far more heavily focused on the crime aspect. Taylor said of the project:
“As a filmmaker, I’ve always been a fan of high-impact heist films, and Free Agents is going to bring that level of action and excitement. I’m thrilled to be working with Lionsgate and together, we’re going to deliver a film that will not only entertain audiences, but also spark a conversation about the gritty inner workings of professional sports”.
Despite the comparisons to films like Heat, one hopes that the film will also detail the behind the scenes aspects of athletes risking their bodies for wealthy owners who routinely try to underpay them. Player power has become a larger topic in recent years in American sports, and Free Agents may have found the perfect time to craft an interesting story around the conversation.
However, Taylor’s latest film also had the potential for some interesting social commentary. It’s a crime drama titled Black And Blue that stars Naomie Harris, and revolves around police brutality and body cams.
Unfortunately, reviews haven’t been particularly positive, with many criticising the fact that it focuses mainly on heart-pounding car chases rather than the under-discussed conversation about societal issues relating to police. Hopefully that isn’t a sign of what’s to come with Free Agents, although it makes the comparisons to the aforementioned crime dramas make more sense.
#Peace.Love.FreeAgents
