If you build it, they will come. But will they be able to play? With the NFL Lockout in its 114th day, Funny Or Die (funnyordie.com) debuted “Field of Dreams 2: Lockout,” a spoof on the 1989 film “Field of Dreams.”
The spoof made its debut Wednesday morning on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” Remember how ESPN evp, content John Skipper told advertisers at the net’s upfront that there was enough programming to keep fans interested if play is interrupted? Perhaps ESPN plans on having Funny Or Die fill its Monday Night Football schedule if the lockout doesn’t end soon.
In this version there is something in it for football fans as well as tweens: “Twilight” series star Taylor Lautner plays Ray Kinsella, Kevin Costner’s role in the original movie. Ray Liotta, Shoeless Joe Jackson, appears this time as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
A few NFL stars surface from the cornfields to enjoy some football, including Tony Gonzalez, Dwight Freeney, Ray Lewis, DeSean Jackson, Shawne Merriman and Antonio Cromartie. Even anchors get some play, with ESPN SportsCenter’s Steve Levy and the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen. In place of James Earl Jones is Dennis Haysbert, from Major League and the Allstate Insurance commercials.
The video, shot last week in Thousand Oaks, CA, is the biggest online production in Funny Or Die’s history.
