Gerard Butler & Jessica Biel Headline Soccer-Mom Rom Com
Star-Studded Cast Includes Uma Thurman, Judy Greer,Dennis Quaid and Catherine Zeta-Jones
NEW YORK, May 12, 20Interviews – FilmDistrict has acquired all US rights to PLAYING THE FIELD from Nu Image/Millennium Films. Directed by Gabriele Muccino (THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS) from a script by Robbie Fox (SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER), PLAYING THE FIELD is in production by Gerard Butler and Alan Siegel’s Evil Twin Productions in association with Kevin Misher, Jonathan Mostow, Heidi Jo Markel and John Thompson. Nu Image / Millennium Films’ Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short & Avi Lerner are serving as Executive Producers. Headlined by Butler and Jessica Biel, the A-list cast includes Judy Greer, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
FilmDistrict is planning to release the film in Spring 2012.
PLAYING THE FIELD kicks off with the homecoming of George (Gerard Butler), a retired soccer pro whose glory days are behind him. Burnt out on his playboy lifestyle and bankrupted by a string of bad investments, George moves back to Virginia to reconnect with his estranged ex-wife (Jessica Biel) and neglected son (Noah Lomax). Making up for lost time, George starts to coach the boys’ soccer team. But can he keep his eyes on the goal when the bleachers are stacked with sexy soccer moms and desperate housewives?
Says FilmDistrict CEO Peter Schlessel, “PLAYING THE FIELD is a fun PG-13 romantic comedy that in the very capable hands of Gabriele Muccino is sure to be a hit. The great comedic cast will definitely have fun with Robbie Fox’s terrific script.â€
“We are very pleased to have closed this deal with Peter Schlessel and FilmDistrict for “PLAYING THE FIELD†and hope it will be the first of many to come. I am confident they will do a great job bringing this picture to marketâ€, says Avi Lerner, Co-Chairman of Nu Image/Millennium Films.
About FilmDistrict
FilmDistrict is a multi-faceted acquisitions, distribution, production and financing company focusing on wide release, commercial pictures. Founded in September by Graham King and Tim Headington’s GK Films, in partnership with Peter Schlessel, the company’s films include INSIDIOUS, April 1; SOUL SURFER, April 8; DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, Aug. 26; DRIVE, Sept. 16; THE RUM DIARY, Oct. 28; and LOCKOUT, Feb. 24, 2012. For more information, visit filmdistrict.com or call (646) 380-4470.
About Nu Image/Millennium Films
Nu Image, Inc./Millennium Films is a full-service production company and distributor, supplying markets worldwide. Currently, they develop, finance, produce and distribute 15 to 18 films a year, with productions filming globally.
This August audiences worldwide will see the highly anticipated Conan the Barbarian, from Nu Image/Millennium Films. Production on The Expendables 2 will commence soon, following the blockbuster The Expendables that has passed over $200 million worldwide (directed, written and starring Sylvester Stallone).
Currently in production in addition to Playing the Field, is Medallion with Nicolas Cage, Josh Lucas, Malin Ackerman, Danny Huston and directed by Simon West.
Founded in 1992 with partners Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short, Avi Lerner and Danny Lerner, Nu Image created Millennium Films in 1996 to address the market’s growing need for quality theatrical films and higher budget action features. Together, they have produced more than 300 films.
Nu Image is headquartered in Los Angeles , and owns full service studios and production facilities in Sofia , Bulgaria called Nu Boyana, and the recently completed Millennium Studios in Shreveport , Louisiana.