Soderbergh's 'Moneyball' ditched

Moneyball, the Steven Soderbergh-directed film that Brad Pitt was set to star in, has been jettisoned by Columbia Pictures.

According to an article on Variety.com, "On Friday, Columbia Pictures topper Amy Pascal placed the picture into 'limited turnaround,' giving the filmmaker the chance to set it up at another studio, with Warner Bros. and Paramount the prime targets."

Production on the movie was set to begin on Monday in Phoenix. The decision was made when Pascal received the final draft of the script and found it exceedingly different from the earlier scripts she had championed. This made Pascal uneasy and, given how much Soderbergh's image of the movie had changed, she decided to put a stop to the project.

As a result, CAA representatives of both Soderbergh and Pitt tirelessly sought another studio to play ball.

The Variety.com article then stated the consequences if some sort of action isn't taken soon, "If a new financier doesn't emerge by today, Columbia will re-examine options that include replacing Soderbergh (and hoping Pitt doesn't ankle), delaying the film until Pascal and the filmmaker find themselves in synch on the script or pulling the plug."

The abandoning of "Moneyball" is ironic given that Pitt had opted out of "State of Play" just before it was to begin production. Pitt, like Pascal, read the studio-approved script and felt it had been altered too much from the draft that had prompted him to get involved with the picture in the first place. In addition, it is highly unusual for a studio to throw away a film when such a big time celebrity like Pitt is steadfastly attached.