Cola Warshas found a producer and director. The movie, which is in early development at Sony, was bought for more than $1 million from a pitch by Jason Shuman (Acapulco,To Leslie) and Ben Queen (Powerless,The Addams Family 2). The movie is set during the mid-1980s during the time when Pepsi and Coca-Cola were battling for supremacy in the beverage marketplace.
PerDeadline,Cola Warshas drawn A-list talent as development continues.Steven Spielberg has signed on to producevia Amblin Entertainment, the same banner through which he has produced such recent movies asTwisters,The Color Purple,Maestro, andThe Fabelmans, the latter of which he also directed. The upcoming movie is also nowset to be directed by Judd Apatow, who is known for helming comedies includingThe 40-Year-Old Virgin,Knocked Up, and, more recently,The King of Staten Islandand Netflix’sThe Bubble.
What Spielberg And Apatow Signing On Mean For Cola Wars
The Movie’s Genre Is Still Unclear
Cola Warsis the first proper collaboration between the two well-known filmmakers, which makes itdifficult to discern what sort of tone the movie will ultimately take on. PreviousJudd Apatow movieswould seem to indicate that it will be a comedy, as the filmmaker’s narrative movies have all been either comedies or dramedies. However, the logline ofCola Warssuggests that it could lean more dramatic, in a similar manner to the 2023 Ben Affleck movieAir, which followed the development of Air Jordan sneakers.
Spielberg and Apatow’s previous collaborations have been limited to them both appearing in the 2023 documentaryAlbert Brooks: Defending My Lifeand Apatow being thanked in the credits of 2011’sSuper 8, which Spielberg produced.
The track record ofSteven Spielberg movieswould also seem to indicate that a tone likeAir’s would be more in his wheelhouse. Especially as a director,his comedies have trended toward the dramaticwith movies like 2004’sThe Terminal. However, in his capacity as a producer, he has been behind more downright wacky properties includingWho Framed Roger Rabbit?,Shrek, andAnimaniacs. Ultimately it remains to be seen how the tone ofCola Warsshapes up as the script continues to develop.
Our Take On Cola Wars
Steven Spielberg and Judd Apatow Could Be A Winning Combination
Whatever shape it takes,Cola Warsassembling a strong team with both Spielberg and Apatowcould help it shine among a recent glut of brand-related biopic movies. In the past few years, the subgenre has seen a rapid increase in releases includingFlamin' Hot,Air,Tetris,Blackberry, andJerry Seinfeld’sUnfrosted. However, if the project continues to attract even more A-list talent thanks to its director and producer, it could become a critical and commercial hit at a level that none of those previous titles have yet reached.
