Will Ferrell in Talks To Play NFL Legend John Madden in David O. Russell's MADDEN

Will Ferrell is in talks to take on the role of NFL legend John Madden in a new sports movie titled Madden, which is being directed by David O. Russell (American Hustle, Amsterdam, The Fighter). You know what? I can totally see Ferrell playing Madden! This is great casting if he ends up closing the deal!

The story for the movie “picks up with the legendarily fiery coach after his exit from the NFL, as he teams with Electronic Arts to become the unlikely co-creator of a pioneering video game franchise.”

The collaboration between John Madden and Electronic Arts (EA) began in the late 1980s when EA approached Madden about creating a football video game. Madden, who had retired from coaching in 1979 and had become a highly respected NFL commentator agreed to work on the game, bringing his extensive knowledge and passion for football to the project.

The first game in the series, John Madden Football, was released in 1988 for various computer platforms. It was developed by Electronic Arts (EA) and designed by Trip Hawkins, with the expertise and guidance of John Madden himself. The game introduced many groundbreaking features, including 11-player teams, realistic gameplay mechanics, and detailed graphics, which set a new standard for sports video games.

In 1993, the franchise underwent a significant evolution with the release of "Madden NFL '94." This installment introduced the use of official NFL team and player licenses, bringing real team names, player names, and accurate team rosters to the game.

The Madden franchise has maintained its dominance in the sports gaming market, consistently selling millions of copies each year. It has expanded its presence across various gaming platforms, including consoles, handheld devices, and mobile phones. The games have also become a platform for esports competitions, with Madden NFL tournaments drawing a dedicated fan base and professional players.

I’ve been a big fan of the Madden games and I loved how involved John Madden was involved with them and he envisioned the program as a tool for teaching and testing plays.He said n 2012 that Madden NFL was "a way for people to learn the game [of football] and participate in the game at a pretty sophisticated level".

The script for the film was written by Cambron Clark, and it made it on The Black List of best-unproduced screenplays last year. I hope we get to see Ferrell in the role of Madden!

Source: Deadline