Coming Attractions

Three movies to look forward to.

Last year’s Moneyball focused its lens on Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s (and brought Brad Pitt to town). Looks like Hollywood was just getting started: There are three more Hollywood biopics in the works about notable East Bay characters.

Local star: De La Salle High head football coach Bob Ladouceur.

Project: A feature film is in production based on Contra Costa Times writer Neil Hayes’ 2003 book about De La Salle’s legendary 138-game winning streak.

Power player: Director Thomas Carter already helmed a winning biopic about another East Bay subject, Richmond High hoops coach Ken Carter, in 2005’s Coach Carter.

Who’s playing Lad? Samuel L. Jackson was great as Coach Carter. Just sayin’.
 

Local star: Animal Rescue Foundation founder and retired baseball manager Tony La Russa.

Project: A feature film based on Buzz Bissinger’s 2005 book, Three Nights in August. Bissinger (Friday Night Lights) is also adapting the screenplay for the project, scheduled for a 2014 release.

Power player: Director David Anspaugh made Hoosiers, one of cinema’s most beloved sports films.

Who’s playing Tony? Internet Movie Database lists Billy Bob Thornton and Edward Burns as cast members. Of the two, we’re guessing longtime Cardinals fan and ARF supporter Thornton could best portray La Russa’s quiet intensity.
 

Local star: Danville pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

Project: A feature film about the “Miracle on the Hudson” landing of Flight 1549 is in the script-writing stage.

Power players: Producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy (E.T., The Bourne Identity) acquired the rights after Harrison Ford ran into Sully at an aviation conference, and then passed the contact along.

Who’s playing Sully? No word yet. Diablo’s online reader survey overwhelmingly picked William H. Macy, for what that’s worth.