As a kid in the 90s, I can remember countless movies about sports. I’m talking about both movies for kids and movies for adults. In no particular order:
Blue Chips Varsity Blues Field of Dreams (Actually 1989 but close) He Got Game White Men Can’t Jump Mighty Ducks and sequels A League Of Their Own Major League (again, 1989, but close.) Mystery, Alaska Tin Cup Any Given Sunday
Some were comedies. But many were serious dramas. I can’t think of any sports-related dramas made since Miracle, which came out in 2004. Why does it seem like there are far fewer sports movies made today?
2 movies featuring sports are nominated for Oscars. Moneyball is up for several, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Nick Nolte is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Warrior.
Million Dollar Baby, a boxing movie starring Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank came out in 2004.
Fever Pitch, starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore came out in 2005. It was about a fevered Red Sox fan and included footage from their 2004 playoff victory over the Yanks and their World Series championship.
Invincible in 2006, starring Mark Wahlberg as Vince Papale, who attended a private workout by the Philadelphia Eagles’ coach Dick Vermeil and made the team.
The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke, came out in 2008.
For one thing the international market is a much bigger deal than it used to be. They make more sports movies than I would have thought. No idea how a baseball movie translates overseas.
Ron Howard is making a movie about the Nikki Lauda vs James Hunt battle for the F1 title in 1976.Latest News
In the 1930s when Sam Goldwyn was first approached about making a movie about Lou Gehrig, he was skeptical saying that if people wanted baseball, they would go to the ballpark instead of a movie theater. It was pitched to him as a movie on how he touched many lives and kept the actual baseball to a minimum. Perhaps some of that feeling lingers on, you have to have a story instead of just a game.
I really think that boxing movies are in a completely different category. There has been a whole separate genre of “boxing movies” as long as there have been movies, and a lot of them are really good, but they’re not what I’d call “sports movies.” When I think “sports movie” I really think of a mainstream team sport.