Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
09-11-24 | 03:15 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Moderator
Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
EXCLUSIVE: Judd Apatow has attached to direct and Steven Spielberg has come aboard to produce Cola Wars, the film in development at Sony. Spielberg will produce through his Amblin Entertainment banner.
Deadline revealed back in April that the studio bought the project for $1 million-plus as a pitch, telling the true story of Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola. It uncapped the “Cola Wars” of the mid-1980s, which included everything from Michael Jackson’s fiery mishap to the New Coke debacle, as the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender (Pepsi) vying for the No. 1 spot (Coca-Cola).
The Cola Wars pitch is being written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen. Shuman is the co-creator/writer of Apple’s hit show Acapulco and was executive producer on HBO’s Winning Time, and the producer of 2022’s Oscar-nominated indie To Leslie. Queen is currently adapting Naomi Novik’s fantasy novel His Majesty’s Dragon as an hourlong series for Fox, and he recently adapted the novella A Note of Explanation by Vita Sackville-West for Netflix. He was the writer of Cars 2 and Cars 3 for Pixar, as well as the creator of NBC’s A to Z and Powerless.
This is early in the development process, but the ingredients are here for a movie about an iconic product on the order of the Ben Affleck-directed Air, about the battle by Nike to win a shoe deal with Michael Jordan for the sneaker line that transformed the company. Maia Eyre is overseeing Cola Wars for Sony.
Apatow is repped by WME and Mosaic, while Spielberg is repped by CAA.
Deadline revealed back in April that the studio bought the project for $1 million-plus as a pitch, telling the true story of Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola. It uncapped the “Cola Wars” of the mid-1980s, which included everything from Michael Jackson’s fiery mishap to the New Coke debacle, as the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender (Pepsi) vying for the No. 1 spot (Coca-Cola).
The Cola Wars pitch is being written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen. Shuman is the co-creator/writer of Apple’s hit show Acapulco and was executive producer on HBO’s Winning Time, and the producer of 2022’s Oscar-nominated indie To Leslie. Queen is currently adapting Naomi Novik’s fantasy novel His Majesty’s Dragon as an hourlong series for Fox, and he recently adapted the novella A Note of Explanation by Vita Sackville-West for Netflix. He was the writer of Cars 2 and Cars 3 for Pixar, as well as the creator of NBC’s A to Z and Powerless.
This is early in the development process, but the ingredients are here for a movie about an iconic product on the order of the Ben Affleck-directed Air, about the battle by Nike to win a shoe deal with Michael Jordan for the sneaker line that transformed the company. Maia Eyre is overseeing Cola Wars for Sony.
Apatow is repped by WME and Mosaic, while Spielberg is repped by CAA.
09-11-24 | 03:34 PM
#2
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
I can't take it any more!
The following 3 users liked this post by Decker:
09-11-24 | 05:10 PM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
This, the Air Jordan movie, the Pop-Tarts movie.
What are some other "Invention of a Mass Market Product" movies?
What are some other "Invention of a Mass Market Product" movies?
09-11-24 | 06:34 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
09-11-24 | 06:57 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Moderator
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
Beanie Babies… Flamin Cheetos…
The following users liked this post:
IBJoel (09-12-24)
09-12-24 | 02:52 AM
#6
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
At least this one will be 2 1/2 hours and not that funny.
09-12-24 | 04:33 PM
#7
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
Although, in that vein, I’m sure WHAM-O: THE MOVIE is right around the corner, which could cover a whole slew of these things in one go.
09-13-24 | 07:03 AM
#8
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
Air and Blackberry were top notch. I like Apatow so I’ll give this a shot. Even though I have very low expectations.
09-13-24 | 10:46 AM
#9
DVD Talk God
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
As a big-time soda drinker I should probably consider watching this, but most/all of the other types of similar films listed in this thread I have not seen, but again big soda drinker so this movie might be the one for me to watch.
I grew up with a father that started with buying Shasta soda (what he could afford at the time), then transitioned to Pepsi and really never looked back (although he also drank a lot of Dr. Pepper over the years). He really did prefer the taste of Pepsi to Coca Cola.
His tastes rubbed of on me as I am the only one in my family that to this day is a big fan of soda (I average at least 2-3 sodas per day, but usually at least 2 out of 3 are zero sugar Dr. Pepper, or Zero Sugar Coke).
I grew up with a father that started with buying Shasta soda (what he could afford at the time), then transitioned to Pepsi and really never looked back (although he also drank a lot of Dr. Pepper over the years). He really did prefer the taste of Pepsi to Coca Cola.
His tastes rubbed of on me as I am the only one in my family that to this day is a big fan of soda (I average at least 2-3 sodas per day, but usually at least 2 out of 3 are zero sugar Dr. Pepper, or Zero Sugar Coke).
09-13-24 | 12:54 PM
#10
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
I’ve really cut back on my soda drinking but when I do have one, it’s usually a Pepsi. I’ve never been a huge fan of Coke. So I’ve chosen my side…
09-13-24 | 11:08 PM
#11
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Cola Wars (P: Spielberg, D: Apatow)
Blackberry wins this rush of these movies. Joy was a little early and I seem to remember people hating on it.
People like these movies right now. They sort of piggyback off people's enjoyment of Shark Tank success stories.
I want to see the movie where someone works their whole life, or goes all-in, the product or fails, and they're ruined. Those are my people.
People like these movies right now. They sort of piggyback off people's enjoyment of Shark Tank success stories.
I want to see the movie where someone works their whole life, or goes all-in, the product or fails, and they're ruined. Those are my people.
09-14-24 | 07:04 PM
#13
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
