Lionsgate is continuing its push into sports-focused adaptations.
The Hollywood studio has reportedly come to terms with Manchester United to create a “dramatized retelling of the club’s history,” according to a report by Adam Crafton in The Athletic. Per Crafton, the project remains in the developmental phase and hasn’t been written or sold to a broadcaster or streamer yet. However, it is known that the vision for the series is “similar in style to The Crown,” Netflix’s acclaimed historical drama about Queen Elizabeth II.
It is not the only sports-adjacent project Lionsgate is working on at the moment. The studio is also creating an adaptation of the gambling scandal that embroiled Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
According to the report, Manchester United will “receive a guaranteed sum in the low multi-million pounds in the event the show is produced and sold. Future royalties will be shared between the club and Lionsgate, with the value growing based on the number of seasons and episodes made and the size of any deal that is agreed.”
The news comes after talks broke down between Amazon’s Prime Video and the storied Premier League club over an all-access docuseries to be part of the All or Nothing franchise. United were set to earn “significantly more than £10 million” for appearing on the show, but since-sacked head coach Ruben Amorim ended negotiations citing “potential intrusion” by the film crew into the club’s operations.
It’s unclear what exactly this new project would cover. Manchester United have a long history of success, including winning the Premier League 13 times between 1993 and 2013. Crafton also notes the tragic Munich Air Disaster in 1958, and subsequent rebuild over the next decade, as a key part of the club’s history.
Suffice it to say, there’s no shortage of material when it comes to Manchester United, and taking inspiration from The Crown could be a good creative decision to draw in more casual viewers.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.