The 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" has been back at the fore after MLB staged a game at the site of the beloved Oscar-nominated flick's shooting location in Dyersville, Iowa -- and now the charming story is reportedly getting the small-screen treatment.
Michael Schur, former writer for NBC hits sitcoms including "The Office" and "Parks and Rec," has been tapped to head up a series adaptation of "Field of Dreams," according to reports.
The straight-to-series show was ordered by NBC entity Peacock, according to Variety, and Schur will serve as lead writer and executive producer.
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“Through the years, ‘Field of Dreams’ has remained a fan favorite, maintaining its rightful position in the zeitgeist,” said Lisa Katz, president of NBCUniversal's Television and Streaming division. “It’s whimsical and grounded, a space where Mike Schur excels, and we’re looking forward to bringing a new version of this classic to Peacock.”
Also signed on as executive producers include Lawrence Gordon, who served in the same role along with his late brother Lawrence Gordon for the original movie, as well as David Miner and Morgan Sackett.
Universal Television president Erin Underhill said Schur -- who was one of the wise-cracking bloggers behind the popular, now-dormant sports media blog "Fire Joe Morgan," and appeared on occasion in "The Office" as Mose Schrute, the oddball Mennonite cousin of Dwight -- is uniquely qualified to head up the new project.
“’Field of Dreams’ is an iconic Universal Film title from venerable producers Lawrence and Charles Gordon, that we could only have entrusted to Mike Schur,” Underhill said in a release. “His talent, his love for baseball and his reverence for its themes make him the perfect choice to revisit this beloved film that evokes nostalgia and visceral emotion in so many of its fans.”
The "Field of Dreams" order comes soon after it was announced the beloved baseball movie "A League of Their Own" would also be making the jump to the small screen in a series adaptation set to air on Amazon Prime, as well as a series adaptation of the adolescent coming-of-age story "The Sandlot" on Disney+.
The so-called "Field of Dreams" game between the Yankees and White Sox in Iowa was a smash-hit with baseball fans, reportedly marking the highest ratings for a regular-season game in 16 years, and clocking in at 135% greater viewership than an average White Sox regular-season game.
It's unclear whether the series adaptation was already under discussion before the Bombers and the Pale Hose staged their instant classic on the cornfield-surrounded diamond -- which culminated in a walk-off two-run homer by Chicago's Tim Anderson -- but its apparent success certainly couldn't have hurt.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed days after the game that the league was looking to stage another game at the site in 2022.
The classic movie, starring Kevin Costner and featuring acting legends such as Burt Lancaster, James Earl Jones and Ray Liotta, was adapted from a 1982 novel titled "Shoeless Joe," authored by WP Kinsella.
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