According to Deadline, the popular computer/video game series, Backyard Sports, is set to be adapted as a feature-length film. Starting in the 1990s, the Backyard Sports computer games allowed players to create teams composed of child characters to play various sports including baseball, football, soccer, and hockey.
The children were either fictional characters created for the games or “kid versions” of professional athletes. Some of the athletes featured in the more recent games include Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, David Wright, Giancarlo Stanton, David Ortiz, and Robinson Cano among others.
Some of the kids (in their 1990s incarnations) created for the franchise that players could choose from. You might be wondering about the one in the wheelchair in the bottom left. His name is Kenny Kawaguchi and I can personally attest that, despite the wheelchair, he’s an amazing soccer goalie!
Some of the kid versions of NBA players that players could choose from in the most recent game in the franchise.
The forthcoming film will be made by Cross Creek Pictures and Crystal City Entertainment and will be produced by both studios’ presidents, Brian Oliver and Ari Daniel Pinchot, respectively. Oliver described the Backyard Sports franchise as “one of the best-selling gaming franchises with over 20 million copies sold providing a perfect platform to build a live action/animated film and television franchise.”
Is Oliver hinting that a TV series based on this franchise is also in the making? Well, we don’t know for sure yet, but we at least have the feature film to look forward to!
Were/are you a fan of the Backyard Sports franchise? If so, what was/is your favorite game in the franchise? How do you feel about this franchise being adapted as a film? Do you think it translates well to feature film form? Let us know in the comments below!
Edited by: Hannah Wilkes