Report: ‘Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired a spec script’ for Kobe Bryant movie

A movie about the life of legendary Los Angeles Lakers star, the late, great Kobe Bryant, is reportedly in the works.

Jeff Sneider of The InSneider first broke news of the project.

EXCLUSIVE: There’s a Kobe Bryant movie in the works at Warner Bros. from the producers of KING RICHARD and @TomBrady‘s production company Religion of Sports.https://t.co/oHwhMPcV5M

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) August 22, 2025

Matt Donnelly and J. Kim Murphy of Variety added additional details on the project.

“Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired a spec script based on the dramatic true story of NBA legend Kobe Bryant joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Variety has confirmed,” the Variety report noted. “The project comes from screenwriters Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen. Rumors of the project had piqued the interest of multiple studios and streamers. One source told Variety that Warner Bros. preempted an auction and took the script, tentatively titled ‘With the 8th Pick?’, off the table early.

“Curiously, Bryant was taken by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft — not the eighth pick,” Variety added. “The Hornets then traded Bryant to the Lakers for Vlade Divac. The New Jersey Nets and its general manager, John Nash, had the eighth pick. Nash has previously said that he wanted to draft Bryant with the pick, but was overruled by Nets coach John Calipari.”

The Variety report also detailed what the movie might look like, saying “insiders familiar with the script described the film as ‘Moneyball’ meets ‘Air,’ Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s recent feature detailing Nike’s courtship of a rookie-year Michael Jordan.”