Info On Nascar Movie

Britney Spears is ready to put her film career in the fast lane. The rumored Spears-NASCAR project has officially been given a green light. The superstar singer and her newly named production company, Britney Spears Prods., have closed a category-exclusive agreement with NASCAR to develop and produce a dramatic ensemble film set in the world of NASCAR. "Contact" scribe Jim Hart is currently writing the untitled screenplay that would see Spears star in the fictional story as the daughter of a successful, modern-day NASCAR team owner who uses her knowledge and experience in the family business to inspire a former NASCAR driver to return to the sport. Contrary to early reports, Spears will not play a NASCAR driver. The unique part about this deal, however, is that Spears may be sharing some screen time with the real thing. NASCAR, which is very protective of its brand and the values it has come to represent, signed the deal with BSP after the corporation and BSP principals -- Spears, her manager Larry Rudolph and "Crossroads" producer Ann Carli -- came to an agreement that the story line of the film would stay true to the sport and show its participants in the most authentic light. That means that, in addition to an approved story line, any scenes in the film that are meant to portray a NASCAR race or specific competitions and/or drivers will be plucked from real-life footage, giving an opportunity for the Jeff Gordons and Dale Earnhardt Jrs. of the sport to appear in the film as they compete at such events as the Daytona 500.

A final draft of the script is expected to be finished in August, and production may begin in the first quarter of 2003 with a budget of $40-$50 million.

Release Date: TBA 2003/2004

Distributor: Currently seeking distribution in the USA.

Distributor Note: (8/23/02) Britney Spears' first starring feature, Crossroads, was similarly produced independently, with Paramount Pictures eventually picking up the theatrical rights.

Production Company: Britney Spears Productions

Cast: Britney Spears; other cast not announced yet.

Cast Notes: Britney Spears' performance is reportedly to be strictly dramatic, and there are no plans for her to sing in it, or to appear in any scenes driving a NASCAR car on the track.

Director: Not hired/announced yet.

Screenwriter: James V. Hart

Based Upon: This film is officially set in and based upon the world of NASCAR automobile racing, and is fully endorsed and approved by the racing organization. Part of the agreement is the specification that all scenes portraying a NASCAR race and/or drivers must come from real footage using actual NASCAR drivers.

Premise: This ensemble racing drama focuses on how the daughter (Spears) of a successful NASCAR team owner uses her knowledge of the business to inspire a former driver to return to the track.

Filming: Production is tentatively scheduled to start in early February, 2003, after Britney Spears finishes her six-month sabbatical that started in August, 2002, in conjunction with the Daytona 500, which kicks off the NASCAR Winston Cup 2003 schedule. The production will follow the NASCAR teams across the country throughout the spring. The budget is in the $40-50 million range, although obviously, much of the "bang" of the movie will come from the actual NASCAR race footage they shoot live on the scene. If filming doesn't start in early 2003, it may be postponed a year to start in early 2004 instead.

Genre: Action, Drama, Eye Candy, Female, Sports

Official Subject Site: NASCAR.com (not much there yet about this project, as of 8/23/02; here's a link to their first official announcement)

Official Actress Site: BritneySpears.com (nothing there about this project as of 8/23/02)

Thanks to Bardia
Source: Yahoo

Posted by Ruben