Filmmaker Richard Linklater is indeed planning on next directing his “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused, a baseball-themed film called That’s What I’m Talking About. Linklater has been discussing making the college-set project for years now, and coming off the massive success of Boyhood (and after dropping out of The Incredible Mr. Limpet), it appears that the time has finally come. The filmmaker previously said the pic was hard to put together because he didn’t want to cast “stars” in the film—much like Dazed and Confused—and indeed, a report has surfaced that offers for three leads have gone out to Wyatt Russell (22 Jump Street), Blake Jenner (Glee), and Tyler Hoechlin (Teen Wolf). More after the jump.
The story of That’s What I’m Talking About takes place in the 1980s and will revolve around freshmen as they navigate through the first year of college life while trying to make the baseball team. Deadline reports that offers are currently out to Russell, Jenner, and Hoechlin to play the lead baseball players, and given that Linklater was an athlete himself, one imagines this is a fairly personal picture for the filmmaker.
Russell actually has experience as an athlete himself as a former professional hockey player, and his grandfather Bing Russell (father of Kurt Russell) owned the independent baseball team the Portland Mavericks. Jenner also played sports in high school before breaking out as one of the stars of Glee, and Teen Wolf actor Hoechlin played baseball at Arizona State University and for the Battle Creek Bombers. As you can see, there’s a bit of a pattern for the actors that Linklater has settled upon to lead his film.
There’s no word on when production might begin on That’s What I’m Talking About, but I’m incredibly excited to see that it’s finally moving forward. Here’s hoping it’s smooth sailing ahead.
