Comments on: Strikeout: Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Moneyball’ Scrapped 3 Days Before Shooting

By: frcmajeure

frcmajeure — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:44:33 +0000

Funny to read this story. I went to an afternoon showing of "Moon" in Hollywood just yesterday, and Soderbergh was in my row with David Fincher and their wives. He seemed pretty spirited (though that could be just because it stood in contrast to the measured posture of good ol' Fincher).

By: rodrigoperez

rodrigoperez — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:11:08 +0000

It was bound to fail. Way too risky, but yeah, reading the original script now and wishing they woulda made this. My guess is we never see this thing and it's passed on. Hollywood is fickle, Sony is sending a loud and clear message: we will not spend that kinda money on unsure things if they're not up to speed, Brad Pitt and Oscar-winner Soderbergh be damned.

By: Bisovi

Bisovi — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:34:17 +0000

This is beyond fascinating. Moneyball is a really terrific book but, at first glance, it's a property that doesn't necessarily lend itself to narrative cinematic adaptation. Given the surely unorthodox and studious take on Billy Beane and Co. that Soderbergh, Zaillian & Pitt were apt to deliver, its a real shame the studio is balking (pun mostly not intended). Making Bill James worshiping metrics wonks/baseball nerds into compelling dramatic figures within the context of a studio film seems like a nearly impossible task, but one that Soderbergh clearly sees as an opportunity to further rupture conventional forms.

By: rodrigoperez

rodrigoperez — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:39:12 +0000

BTW, does anyone else feel that this is a story that Variety pounced on because they knew if they waited til Monday, Nikki Finke would have broken it an hour later?