“Marvel Star Nearly Replaced Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams Remake”
While audiences are discovering Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga on Max, his iconic 1989 film Field of Dreams is back in the news with new details about a canceled television adaptation. The film, which stars Costner as a farmer who builds a baseball field in his cornfield, attracting the ghosts of baseball legends, remains a beloved classic. Known for its famous line, “If you build it, they will come,” Field of Dreams was a critical and commercial success, receiving three Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
In the early 2020s, Field of Dreams was among the many beloved films considered for a television remake. According to Puck, via SlashFilm, the scrapped series was set to feature Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt. Pratt’s involvement was a surprise, as he had not been previously linked to the project, and he reportedly “abruptly” exited the series for unknown reasons. His departure likely contributed to the series’ downfall, as it quickly unraveled and was ultimately abandoned by Peacock after a full series order. Despite efforts to find a new home for the show, no other networks picked it up.
The journey of the Field of Dreams television series began with a surge of interest following the MLB at Field of Dreams game on August 12, 2021. The game, held near the iconic cornfield in Iowa, featured the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees and fueled a spike in the film’s popularity. Just five days after the game, Peacock announced the development of the series, which was to be helmed by Mike Schur, known for creating Parks and Recreation and The Good Place. However, enthusiasm for the project quickly waned, and by June 2022, Peacock had decided to cancel it.
Pratt’s potential involvement was intriguing given his previous collaboration with Schur on Parks and Recreation. Schur had also assembled a notable cast for the series, including Kristen Bell and William Jackson Harper from The Good Place, Andre Braugher from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Nick Offerman, who had worked with Pratt on Parks and Recreation. Tragically, Braugher passed away in December 2023, further complicating the series’ prospects.
The failed Field of Dreams adaptation is part of a broader trend of streaming platforms attempting to revive mid-budget films as TV series. This trend, seen in projects like Starz’s Dangerous Liaisons, Paramount+’s Fatal Attraction, Disney+’s Turner and Hooch, and Peacock’s Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, reflects the streaming industry’s push to capitalize on nostalgic properties. However, with streamers tightening their budgets, these ambitious yet short-lived projects may become less common, as the industry reassesses its strategies in the post-pandemic era.
