Chris Columbus Plays Ball, Michael Rapaport Goes Noir & Brad Peyton Shakes The Earth For New Directing Gigs

No stranger to film adaptations, John Grisham is set to get another check in the mail courtesy of Chris Columbus, who has officially signed on to write and direct the adaptation of the author's “Calico Joe.” The novel, released earlier this year, revolves around the world of baseball and involves a nearly fatal pitch thrown in August 24, 1973 and its implications 30 years later on both the batter, “Calico Joe” Caste, and the pitcher, Warren Tracey. Hopefully this film can match the quality of the last year’s baseball movie, “Moneyball.” [Variety]

Character actor and “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest” helmer Michael Rapaport is set to direct his first fictional feature, an adaptation of the Jason Starr novel “Tough Luck.” The noir thriller is set in Brooklyn and follows a nice kid who, after getting in trouble with a bookie, decides to join his friend on a “can’t-lose caper.” Starr is writing the screenplay and shooting is starting in New York next year. We were big fans of Rapaport’s directorial debut and we’re looking forward to this project, which sounds like it could be a good fit for him. [Deadline]

It’s been a few years since we’ve seen a true blue disaster movie, but it looks like we’re getting one in 3D courtesy of “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” director, Brad Peyton. “San Andreas 3D,” budgeted in the $100 million range and with a recent draft written by “The Switch” and “The Dilemma” scribe Allan Loeb, follows a man who has to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco following The Big One to reconcile with his children and estranged wife, using some “unconventional transportation” to get there. Say what you will about the pedigree involved, but audiences love seeing shit get destroyed, so this concept is almost a license to print money, especially since it’s going to be coming at you across the z-axis. Let’s hope this movie doesn’t dash any chances of Brad Bird’s long-gestating San Francisco earthquake-period piece “1902” getting made. [Hollywood Reporter]