It looks like Judd Apatow‘s return to the director’s chair will be in a big way. Deadline reports the “King Of Staten Island” director will work with Steven Spielberg on Sony‘s “Cola Wars,” about Pepsi and Coca-Cola’s 1980s battle for soda supremacy. Spielberg produces the feature through his Amblin Entertainment banner. It’s Apatow’s first film since 2022’s poorly-received “The Bubble.”
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“Cola Wars” has been inching toward production since Sony bought the project in April as a pitch for over $1 million. The premise is simple: an underdog story about Pepsi’s attempt to unseat Coca-Cola as the world’s top cola brand in the mid-1980s. Of course, those who lived through that period already know who emerged victorious, but the film will touch upon major moments in the war, like Michael Jackson‘s fiery onstage mishaps to Coca-Cola’s New Coke debacle, and more. Maia Eyre will oversea the project for Sony.
Jason Shuman and Ben Queen will pen the pitch script for “Cola Wars.” And there a decent team to take on the project: Shuman was co-creator and writer on the Apple TV+ series “Acapulco” and an executive producer on HBO‘s “Winning Time,” as well as a producer on 2022’s “To Leslie.” Meanwhile, Queens’ credits include being a writer on Pixar‘s “Cars 2” and “Cars 3,” and a creator on NBC‘s “A To Z” and “Powerless.” Queen’s recent work include adapted Vita Sackville-West‘s novella “A Note Of Explanation” for Netflix, and the fantasy novel “His Majesty’s Dragon” for Fox.
But does the movie world need another movie that’s a nostalgic look back on what amounts to a recounting of corporate greed in the last golden age of American advertising? Put a bow on this project, but it’s still a lot like Ben Affleck‘s 2023 crowd-pleaser “Air,”: a tale of capitalism triumphing over all dressed up in a feel-good, against-all-odds narrative. Maybe Apatow, Shuman, and Queen will put a satiric spin on the project, but given how safe Apatow has played his past few films, don’t bet on that.
“Cola Wars” is still in early development, so stay tuned for casting news and an official start to productions. Sony will likely have this one in theaters later next year.