Dirty TackleHollywood to make movie about Barcelona
Great news for fans of Green Street, Bend It Like Beckham and Soccer Dog: European Cup — the rich and illustrious canon of soccer in the cinema is set to be expanded with a Hollywood movie about FC Barcelona.
Paul Greengrass— the Oscar-winning British director of United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum and Green Zone — is currently at the Cannes Film Festival looking for international backers for "an epic cinematic portait of FC Barcelona", which will focus primarily on the four years in which Pep Guardiola guided the Catalan giants to 13 trophies. The LA Times reports:
Titled "Barca," the movie will examine the process and legacy of one of the world's most famous sports franchises, looking at a team as it prepares for the 2012-2013 campaign, in which it will seek to reclaim its title in Spain's La Liga, with a particular emphasis on its successful run over the last several years. Greengrass aims to begin shooting the movie later this year, after he wraps his newest feature.
Much like Soccer Dog: European Tour, the movie has a strong potential for excellence, with Greengrass being joined by executive producer John Carlin (script writer who has also won awards in Spain for journalism) and editor Chris King (who worked on the stupendously good documentary Senna).
Greengrass is actually a fan of South London's very own Blaugrana, Crystal Palace. While promoting The Bourne Ultimatum on BBC radio in 2007, he attempted to tease Spurs-supporting host Simon Mayo by claiming he would only make another Bourne film when Tottenham finished in the top four. Seeing as the Lilywhites have achieved that feat twice since then, we are owed another two (non-Jeremy Renner) Bourne outings when the Barca project is complete.
