The 100th NFL season may have just concluded, but stories about NFL legends last forever. Former MVP and Hall of Famer Kurt Warner is about to get the biopic treatment.
Jon Erwin and Andrew Erwin‘s Kingdom Story Company closed a deal for American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, which will chronicle the true story of the man who went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to become a two time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback.
The Erwin brothers will direct with former Friday Night Lights writer David Aaron Cohen penning the script. The film has been fast-tracked – extremely fast-tracked – and will be distributed wide by Lionsgate this December. The screenplay will be based upon interviews with Warner as well as his memoir, All Things Possible: My Story Of Faith, Football And The First Miracle Season.
Warner was playing in the Arena League for a while before signing with the St. Louis Rams to be their backup QB. When starter Trent Green went down before the season even began, Warner stepped in and went on to lead the Rams to a Super Bowl win, while winning league MVP for piloting the offense that would go on to be known as the Greatest Show On Turf.
He won MVP again two seasons later but the Rams were upset in Super Bowl 36 by the New England Patriots. After some lean years, he later led the upstart Arizona Cardinals to their first Super Bowl where they lost in a heartbreaker to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He retired a year later, before being voted to the NFL Hall of Fame. His career remains one of the most storybook rags-to-riches tale in league history.
Warner’s story is pretty much a Hollywood script itself, so it makes sense that he would finally be given the biopic treatment. What will be interesting is who will play the QB in the film, especially on such short notice. Lionsgate may have eliminated a lot of stars from potentially appearing in the film by fast tracking it. The decision is probably because they want the film out midway through next year’s NFL season.
#Peace.Love.KurtWarner
1 comment