HBO is developing a movie based on the historic "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, and it's being reported that Elizabeth Banks will play King, and Paul Giamatti has been cast as Riggs. Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman are executive producing the untitled project through their Playtone banner with Banks and Max Handelman's Brownstone Production. The planned film doesn't have a director yet, but it's being written by PROOF scribe David Auburn.
Although Bobby Riggs retired from professional tennis in 1951, Riggs argued that he could still defeat the current top female players, even at the age of 55. Billie Jean King proved Riggs wrong by beating him in the nationally televised 1973 match, which drew massive ratings for ABC.
HBO has landed a couple of very good actors for their "Battle of the Sexes" project, and I'm curious to know which directors the network might be considering for the movie.
Elizabeth Banks' PITCH PERFECT 2 opens on May 15, 2015, and Paul Giamatti can be seen next in SAN ANDREAS on May 29, 2015.