Fernandomania is coming back.
Universal Content Productions is teaming up with the beloved Dodgers pitcher-turned-broadcaster for a scripted limited series based on his life and career. A network/platform is not yet attached.
The project, which is in development, hails from writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, the writing duo whose credits include the upcoming Netflix limited series Painkiller and who are adapting Disney’s Bambi remake. Major League Baseball’s Nick Trotta (The Captain, 30 for 30) also attached to exec produce via MLB Studios.
Here’s how UCP describes the limited series: “The first time Fernando Valenzuela has ever told his story, this series will follow the legendary Dodgers pitcher from his time playing on dirt fields in rural Mexico to winning the World Series in 1981 — and changing baseball forever.”
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, The Current War) is attached to exec produce and will direct the pilot should the project move forward. Valenzuela and longtime sports agent Harlan Werner will also be credited as EPs. Werner, who is a longtime sports card and memorabilia collector, founded The Memorabilia Network and recently opened a store in support of the digital auction platform in Sherman Oaks, California, where Valenzuela recently appeared.
“UCP has assembled a great team. I am honored to be able to tell my story, my experiences in my own words,” Valenzuela said.
Valenzuela, who took over as the lead Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers following Jamie Jarrin’s retirement last year, spent 17 seasons in the big leagues. He burst into the league in late 1980 as a relief pitcher before getting the surprise Opening Day start in 1981 and became a pop culture sensation after winning his first eight starts with an impressive 0.50 Earned Run Average. He would go on to become the first player to win both Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award (the highest honor given to a pitcher each year) in the same season. Valenzuela retired from baseball in 1997 and returned to the Dodgers in 2003 as a Spanish-language broadcaster. Earlier this year, the Dodgers announced that the organization would retire Valenzuela’s uniform number, 34, this summer during a three-day “Fernandomania” celebration set for mid-August.
The Valenzuela project marks the latest scripted series to be produced in connection with Major League Baseball. The league entered the scripted fray with Fox’s Pitch and is rumored to be involved with Apple’s TV series about Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig. On the unscripted side, MLB Studios has produced documentary titles including Once Upon a Time in Queens and The Captain for ESPN, Say Hey, Willie Mays for HBO, After Jackie for History and more. Imagine Entertainment recently announced a partnership with MLB Studios to develop and produce projects alongside the league.
Valenzuela is repped by Werner. Harpster and Fitzerman-Blue are with UTA, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment and Lichter Grossman. Gomez-Rejon is with CAA and Johnson Shapiro.
