James Franco in talks to direct ESPN biopic 'Those Guys Have All the Fun'
Actor James Franco is in talks to direct ESPN's biopic 'Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN' at Focus Features. ESPN had changed the face of television when it first telecasted what would eventually become the channel's first flagship program in September 1979 called 'SportsCenter'. The channel was initially being broadcasted from its studio in Bristol, Connecticut, and presently has offices operating from Miami, New York City, Seattle, Charlotte, and Los Angeles. The channel is currently being headed by James Pitaro who took up the position on March 5, 2018 following John Skipper's resignation on December 18, 2017.
The channel is considered to be a powerhouse in sports TV and is reportedly now a part of Disney's collection of assets after Mouse House's acquisition of ABC. However, the actual story behind all the glamour has never been told on screen. In 2011 James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales released the book 'Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN' which finally brought out the history behind the establishment of the prominent sports media house. Based on more than 500 interviews, the book reveals the secret lives and happenings of ESPN insiders, athletes, and others.
