Report: Brad Pitt’s ‘Moneyball’ Dumped Days Before Shooting

 
 
enlarge
  • Brad Pitt onstage at Spike TV’s 2009 ‘Guys Choice Awards’
  • Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Cannes, 2009
  • Brad Pitt arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to meet with Nancy Pelosi
  • Brad Pitt and Zahara Jolie-Pitt seen leaving Tugooh toy store in Washington, DC

1/4

  • WireImage

    Brad Pitt on stage at Spike TV’s 2009 ‘Guys Choice Awards’

  • Getty Images

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Cannes, 2009

  • AP

    Brad Pitt arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to meet with Nancy Pelosi

  • WireImage

    Brad Pitt and Zahara Jolie-Pitt seen leaving Tugooh toy store in Washington, DC

 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: June 21, 2009 7:03 PM EDT
LAST UPDATED: June 21, 2009 10:21 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

Brad Pitt’s next movie, “Moneyball,” has been dropped by Columbia Pictures just days before shooting, Variety reported.

The Steven Soderbergh-directed film was set to start production on Monday in Phoenix.

According to the trade magazine, the film was put into “limited turnaround” by Columbia chairman Amy Pascal on Friday, giving other studios a window to get behind it.

Pascal was reportedly uncomfortable with changes made with the final draft of the script. Should another studio not step in, Columbia may attempt to replace the director, delaying the film.

The baseball film focuses on the bestselling book of the same name by Billy Beane, the Oakland A’s general manager who based his rosters on stats over traditional scouting methods.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the film had a $57 million budget – what the newspaper noted as a hefty sum for a movie based on a book without a love story or true villain.

“Taking Woodstock” comedian Demetri Martin was set to star alongside Brad, along with a number of real-life former Major League Baseball stars.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Keep your Access to everything in Hollywood! Breaking news and personal commentary from Nancy, Billy, Tony, Shaun, Maria & all of our producers! Follow us on and now!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What Do You Think?

Was Adam Lambert’s unedited AMA performance that aired on the East Coast inappropriate?

  • Adam Lambert kisses his keyboardist during his 2009 American Music Awards performance on November 22, 2009
     
  • Adam Lambert kisses his keyboardist during his 2009 American Music Awards performance on November 22, 2009
     
  • Adam Lambert kisses his keyboardist during his 2009 American Music Awards performance on November 22, 2009