‘Dallas Sting’ Soccer Biopic Scrapped Amid ‘Disturbing’ Allegations IndieWire × Continue to IndieWire SKIP AD You will be redirected back to your article in seconds Back to IndieWire News All News Galleries Lists Box Office Trailers Festivals Thompson on Hollywood Film All Film Reviews Interviews Profiles of a Partnership 2022 Best Movies of 2022, So Far 2022 Fall Movie Preview 2023 Oscars ’90s Week Best of the Decade Video Podcasts TV All TV Reviews Interviews 2022 Fall TV Preview 2022 Emmys Best TV Shows of 2022, So Far Influencers: The Craft of TV 2022 Video Podcasts Awards All Awards 2023 Oscar Predictions TV Awards Calendar Film Awards Calendar Thompson on Hollywood Influencers: Profiles of a Partnership 2022 Awards Spotlight Spring 2022 Craft Considerations Top of the Line Animation Podcasts Video All Video Podcasts Consider This Conversations Toolkit Sundance Studio Awards Spotlight Winter 2022 Tune In Shop Gift Guides Tech Movies and TV to Buy and Stream More About Team How to Pitch Stories and Articles to IndieWire Advertise with IndieWire Confidential Tips News All News Galleries Lists Box Office Trailers Festivals Thompson on Hollywood Film All Film Reviews Interviews Profiles of a Partnership 2022 Best Movies of 2022, So Far 2022 Fall Movie Preview 2023 Oscars ’90s Week Best of the Decade Video Podcasts TV All TV Reviews Interviews 2022 Fall TV Preview 2022 Emmys Best TV Shows of 2022, So Far Influencers: The Craft of TV 2022 Video Podcasts Awards All Awards 2023 Oscar Predictions TV Awards Calendar Film Awards Calendar Thompson on Hollywood Influencers: Profiles of a Partnership 2022 Awards Spotlight Spring 2022 Craft Considerations Top of the Line Animation Podcasts Video All Video Podcasts Consider This Conversations Toolkit Sundance Studio Awards Spotlight Winter 2022 Tune In Shop Gift Guides Tech Movies and TV to Buy and Stream More About Team How to Pitch Stories and Articles to IndieWire Advertise with IndieWire Confidential Tips

‘ Disturbing Allegations’ About 1984 Girls Soccer Team Prompt Skydance to Scrap ‘ Dallas Sting’

IndieWire has confirmed the film set to star Matthew McConaughey and Kaitlyn Dever was canceled six weeks ahead of production

Samantha Bergeson Sep 14, 2022 5:18 pm Share This Article Reddit LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Print Talk The real-life Dallas Sting team in 1984 Everett Controversy surrounding upcoming film “Dallas Sting” has officially led to Skydance shelving the feature. Inspired by the 1984 true story of a Dallas girls soccer team traveling to China to became world champions, “Dallas Sting” was set to star Matthew McConaughey as coach Bill Kinder and Emmy nominee Kaitlyn Dever as his daughter. Actual soccer players were cast as the team. Kari Skogland (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”) was helming the feature from a script by “GLOW” creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch; “Dallas Sting” was produced by Skydance and Berlanti Schechter Productions. The Hollywood Reporter first reported that “disturbing allegations surrounding aspects of the true story” has now led to the film being canceled six weeks ahead of production. “That investigation led Skydance and the producers to pull the plug,” per THR sources. IndieWire has confirmed that the film is indeed scrapped. Production was set to begin in October in New Orleans, with the rights to the story to an unpublished article by Bill Kinder having been purchased at auction by Skydance and Berlanti Schechter. “Dallas Sting” was poised to tell the supposedly real-life sports story against the background of President Ronald Reagan’s tenuous political ties with China. When China invited the U.S. to send its Women’s Soccer Team to the first world championship, a nationwide search for 19-and-under players led officials to a Dallas high school team, titled The Sting, named after the Robert Redford and Paul Newman-led film. Per Deadline, Kinder spent $85,000 on his own credit cards for non-refundable tickets to ensure the whole team made the trip to China, where they were expected to lose. Under Coach Kinder, who had no prior experience coaching, the soccer team bested Australia, Japan, and China before playing Italy in the championship game. There have been no additional details as to the “disturbing” circumstances that have since come to light over the accuracies of the true story. Reporting by Christian Blauvelt. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. This Article is related to: Film and tagged Dallas Sting, Kaitlyn Dever, Matthew McConaughey, Skydance
Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox Subscribe

Podcasts

Listen to these IndieWire podcasts.

Oscar Season Is a Battle Between Mainstream and Arthouse Movies

Paul Schrader Survives Hospital Scare and Says ‘ I Will Direct Again’

The Film Industry Continues to Diversify but It s Never Enough — NYFF Director Explains All

Craft

Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft.

Oscars 2023 How Will Last Year’ s Rule Change Impact This Year’ s Score Race

Created in Chaos The Cinematography of ‘ Blonde’

How the ‘ Rings of Power’ VFX Teams Created the Epic Flood and Mount Doom Eruption in Episode 6

Featured Posts

The 100 Best Movies of the ’90s The 100 Best Movies of the Decade 60 Must-See New Movies to Watch This Fall Season Fall TV Preview: The 20 Shows You’ll Want to Watch ‘White Lotus’ Season 2 Sets Premiere Date: All the Details for the Series’ Italy-Bound Return ad