Linklater Will Coach Thornton in ‘Bears’ Redo
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – “School of Rock” director Richard Linklater has signed on to shoot the remake of “The Bad News Bears,” starring Billy Bob Thornton.
The Paramount Pictures project is due to start shooting in November. The original 1976 feature starred Walter Matthau as a beer-chugging manager who transforms a group of Little League misfits into a winning team.
Linklater, a stalwart of the indie scene, scored a solid commercial hit when he directed Paramount’s 2003 comedy “School of Rock,” which grossed $81 million domestically. He is currently in theaters with “Before Sunset,” starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
He also has been tapped to direct “The Smoker” for Paramount. That project was scheduled to begin production in the fall, but it will likely move back to film after “Bears,” with an exact date still to be determined.
Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the writers and creative team behind the Thornton hit “Bad Santa,” are writing the screenplay for “Bears.”
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