Michael Doneger: Last News

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterESPN Films has acquired worldwide rights to the documentary “Fate of a Sport,” Variety has learned exclusively.The deal was struck ahead of the film’s world premiere on Wednesday at the annual Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Michael Doneger and written by Dan Crane, the expansive sports story was produced by Matt Tolmach (of the “Jumanji” and “Venom” franchises) and Doneger.“Fate” follows trailblazing athlete Paul Rabil, who spent eleven years as one of the most dominant and controversial players in a professional lacrosse league that filmmakers described as “anything but professional.”  Rabil and his brother Mike took matters into their own hands, and document their journey raising capital, attempting to poach top players, fight off lawsuits, and persevere through a global pandemic to launch the Premier Lacrosse League.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer“Fate of a Sport,” an official premiere of the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, has unveiled its first trailer exclusively to Variety.Covering the world of professional lacrosse and one of its most controversial and high-profile stars, Paul Rabil, the film deals in much more than triumph on the pitch — encompassing millions in capital fundraising, talent poaching, and lawsuits from legacy athletic clubs all against the backdrop of a global pandemic.“Even in the regular lacrosse league, guys still have to have a second job,” a narrator explains in the clip, alluding to the fact that professional lacrosse is nowhere near as well-funded or rewarding for its players on the national stage. Until Rabil and his brother Mike decided to break ranks and potentially sacrifice Paul’s decorated career to launch a league of their own (the Premier Lacrosse League).

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmEXCLUSIVE: Amazon Studios has acquired Shelly, an action-comedy package that has Jumanji: The Next Level‘s Awkwafina and Karen Gillan attached to reteam, and Jude Weng to direct. The action comedy script is by Michael Doneger and Liz Storm and the film will be produced by Ian Bryce Productions.Deadline wrote about the package in late June, when it was first shopped.

The careers of actresses Awkwafina and Karen Gillan seem to be taking off at the same exact time, but both in very different ways. Regardless of how they achieved superstar status, it appears that both actresses are set to star opposite each other in the upcoming action-comedy film, “Shelly.” According to Deadline, Awkwafina and Gillan will co-star in, “Shelly,” which is written by Michael Doneger and Liz Storm and directed by Jude Weng.

By Mike Fleming Jr