Suraj Sharma couldn't have chosen a tougher role for his debut feature, carrying practically all of the dramatic weight in Ang Li's brilliant Life of Pi. The Indian-born actor was discovered after a lengthy talent search, but after such an impressive breakthrough, Sharma looks to be around for a long time. For his next role, Sharma will take on a real life figure from his homeland in the baseball drama, Million Dollar Arm.
Also coming aboard is Oscar-winner Alan Arkin, joining the previously announced Jon Hamm in the story of sports agent J.B. Bernstein, who created a reality TV competition for cricket players where he discovered Major League pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel. It's unclear which player Sharma will be portraying, but Arkin will be a retired baseball scout. Written by Tom McCarthy (Win Win, The Station Agent) and directed by Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl), the story will follow how Bernstein discovered the players, then must acclimate them to an unfamiliar culture. This is a Disney film, and McCarthy, who co-wrote Pixar's Up, probably has a good idea of what they're looking for. Still, the cast suggests this could be more than just your average every day sports drama.
Filming on Million Dollar Arm begins next month in Mumbai. [Variety/TheWrap]
