The NFL and ESPN have joined forces with Andell Entertainment to venture into feature films with ‘Lombardi,’ the story of (who else) football coaching legend Vince Lombardi who led the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowls. The script is partly based on the memoirs of former Packers’ offensive lineman Jerry Kramer, titled “Instant Replay.” Kramer and Vince Lombardi Jr. are also serving as consultants on the film. Apparently the film’s tone will resemble that of “Raging Bull.”
Surely if you know jack about football or its history you’re still at least somewhat familiar with Lombardi for the way he was lionized on those well-shot, intensely dramatic NFL Films Presents… documentaries that played Sunday afternoons before big games. This was always super compelling stuff even if you didn’t care for pigskin.
The interesting piece of the puzzle is how the NFL and ESPN plan on marketing the film. Ron Semiao, ESPN Films-Movies senior vice president, said, “If you released an NFL-themed motion picture in that off-week before the Super Bowl, that would give you an entire month to promote it during the playoffs, and give an answer to all those people asking, ‘What am I going to do until the Super Bowl starts?’ Our hope is to establish an annual franchise of an NFL-themed movie that comes out in theaters in that off week.”
It sounds like they plan to aim for the demographic that subscribes to NFL Network year round and have nothing better to talk or think about when there isn’t a football game on. Although, TV commercials during the playoffs are some of the most watched all year, outside of the Super Bowl. Interesting choice, guess we’ll see if it pays off.
What we’re wondering is who will they get to play the man who the Super Bowl trophy was named after? Paul Giamatti was the first person that came to mind for some reason but that might be a long shot. Then again he did just play “John Adams” in the HBO miniseries and has some low budget flicks under his belt. Hey, it could happen… [DealMemo] – Beau Delmore
I can't see this coming out in theatres and "resembling the tone of Raging Bull" as the NFL and ESPN say. It'll be Any Given Sunday at best, and I see it resembling Friday Night Lights or that ESPN movie about an Indiana basketball coach with Josh Lucas.
The NFL, for all its fanfair, has a bit of an image problem too.
It feels like the Moneyball situation, where the Sports League will have the biggest say in the final cut and script, and anything that makes the league look slightly bad will be changed, even to the story telling.
And ESPN should not be trusted to pursue artistic integrity of any kind. Its interests and priorities are completely alighned with those of the nfl.
This will be a 2 hour budweiser commercial.