1989 baseball film Field of Dreams, written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson, with Costner in the lead role, was in the works for Peacock back in late 2021. Michael Schur, creator of The Good Place and co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation, was attached to write and executive produce the potential series.

The project was eventually scrapped, with Peacock opting to focus on other series and declining to spend money on the adaptation. Schur did mention that his version of Field of Dreams would have included the likes of Nick Offerman and Andre Braugher, in addition to serving as a reunion for The Good Place co-stars Kristen Bell and William Jackson Harper. Another one of Costner's sports dramas, albeit with a more muted reputation, is being eyed for an adaptation.

2014's Draft Day Is Getting A TV Adaptation

It'll Focus On Basketball Instead

played by Costner) of the Cleveland Browns and how he decides to move forward after acquiring the NFL's number one draft pick. Mixing a fictional lead character with a real NFL team, Draft Day also starred Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary, Frank Langella, Sam Elliott, Ellen Burstyn, Tom Welling, Terry Crews, and Chadwick Boseman.

Draft Day didn't perform well at the box office, grossing $29.8 million against a reported $25 million budget, and received mixed reviews.

Deadline confirmed that Draft Day is getting adapted into a TV series, albeit with a twist. The project plans to focus on basketball and the NBA rather than American football. In particular, the Draft Day show plans to “capture the drama and excitement of watching basketball players get drafted and fulfill their dreams.” The project hails from Lionsgate TV and LeBron James' SpringHill alongside Madison Wells, who produced the 2014 film. It is still early in the process, with no writer attached.

Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development at Lionsgate Television, said the project was in good hands. The sentiment was echoed by Jamal Henderson, SpringHill’s Chief Content Officer. Their statements are included below:

Herbst: “If you are going to do a show set in and around the world of basketball, one person comes to mind ahead of all others. The same ion, drive and commitment to excellence that drove LeBron James to be the best in the game is evident in everything he touches and with SpringHill’s oversight, this project is in the best possible hands.”

Henderson: “This is a dynamic, character-driven project that perfectly captures the grind and hustle of professional sports. We’re excited to team up with Lionsgate to create a fresh look at the pressures and triumphs behind one of the most crucial days in any player’s career.”

Our Take On The Draft Day Adaptation

Casting Is Key

Chadwick Boseman as Vontae Mack, in uniform, shaking hands, in Draft Day

As seen with the fate of Field of Dreams, planned TV projects can fall apart along the way. Still, if the adaptation does move forward and gain steam, a big part of the appeal will come down to who gets cast in the new Draft Day. The film is best ed, likely, for being one of the late Chadwick Boseman's earlier movies.

Draft Day Works Better For Football Than Basketball

The NFL Draft Features More Rounds And Is A Massive Deal For Teams

Kevin Costner holding a football in Draft Day

While it must be applauded that Draft Day won't just be a stretched-out rehash of the original film by focusing on the NBA this time, it is also worth noting that it's pretty easy to see that the premise for both the movie and the show likely works better when it revolves around the NFL draft compared to the NBA draft. Most notable is just how important drafts are for NFL teams, especially when it comes to later rounds, where certain players can fall or even emerge to become stars.

Of course, this isn't to say that the NBA draft isn't important for teams, but with only two rounds compared to the NFL's seven, there is a lot more opportunity for late-draft shake-ups when it comes to football. While NBA teams are much smaller than NFL teams, the vast size of football rosters makes drafting players incredibly complex, as so many variables need to be taken into consideration, rather than what is necessarily the "best player" available at any given time. Still, Draft Day could surprise a lot of people, and the switch to basketball could be inspired.

draft day

Your Rating

Draft Day (2014)
pg-13
Sport
Drama
Release Date
April 7, 2014
Runtime
120minutes
Director
Ivan Reitman

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Writers
Ivan Reitman