The rights to Jere Longman’s book The Girls of Summer: The US Women’s Soccer Team and How It Changed The World are heading to Netflix, which was announced on Tuesday.
Variety reports that Liza Chasin of Darkest Hour has been tabbed as the film’s producer, while former HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg is also attached to the project.
“Darkest Hour” producer Liza Chasin will produce under her first look deal along with Ándale Productions’ Hayley Stool and Ross Greenburg of Ross Greenburg Productions. Stool optioned the book and secured life rights to eight of the U.S. soccer team’s players. 3dot’s Margaret Chernin will work closely with Chasin on the project. President and CEO of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Marla Messing, Jill Mazursky and Krista Smith will serve as executive producers.
Netflix tweeted out a teaser video for the film featuring the eight USWNT players that presumably will be featured. Those eight are Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly, Brianna Scurry, Carla Overbeck, and Brandi Chastain.
What's the 1999 World Cup winning US Women's Soccer Team up to now?
We checked in with @JulieFoudy, @MiaHamm, @MichelleAkers10, @joyfawcett14, @KristineLilly, @BriScurry, Carla Overbeck, and @brandichastain to find out! pic.twitter.com/FFYPkXjHo5
— Netflix Tudum (@NetflixTudum) May 12, 2020
Back in 2005, HBO released a USWNT documentary entitled Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team, and Greenburg was an executive producer on that feature as well. Dare to Dream had more of a wider focus on the USWNT as a whole, with the 1999 World Cup merely being a part of the doc rather than the sole feature. The eight women that will be featured in this film were also interviewed for the HBO doc more than a decade ago.
No further casting or release information has been announced, but if possible, it sure would make sense for the film to be released sometime next year around the Summer Olympics. The USWNT has won four gold medals and one silver medal across the six women’s tournaments at the Olympics. I think summer 2023 would be an absolute worst case scenario in terms of a timeline, but at least it could line up with the next Women’s World Cup.
[Variety]
