Lorne Michaels to Produce Lou Gehrig Scripted Series for AppleTV+, 'Green Book' Director Peter Farrelly to Helm Pilot

by Darian Scalamoni

    Baseball season has begun and as a diehard New York Yankees fan, this one puts a massive smile on my face. The Yankees franchise is filled with unbelievable superstars within America's past time, but now, one of their many legendary players is getting a scripted series.

    According to an exclusive from The Hollywood Reporter, Lou Gehrig, the iconic first baseman that played for the New York Yankees from will be the centerpiece of a new series for AppleTV+ tentatively called The Luckiest Man. The series will adapt Jonathan Eig's book: Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig, with Dan Kay coming on as a co-writer alongside Eig. Lorne Michaels, best known as the man behind Saturday Night Live will produce alongside his creative executive son, Eddie Michaels. Peter Farrelly (Green Book, The Greatest Beer Run Ever) is attached to direct the pilot.

    The Luckiest Man is in reference to the Iron Horse's legendary retirement speech from 1939 which came shortly after being diagnosed with ALS, which is widely known now as "Lou Gehrig's disease." Gehrig played 17 seasons for the Yankees at first base and earned his nickname of Iron Horse for playing 2,130 consecutive games. That record stood for quite a long time until it was broken by Baltimore Orioles' legend Cal Ripken Jr. Gehrig won the triple crown, two American League MVP awards and won 6 World Series championships with the Yankees. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, the same year he retired before losing his life to the disease just two years later in 1941. 

    Major League Baseball would go on to mark June 2 as Lou Gehrig Day across the league in tribute to one of its game's greatest players, but also as a day of remembrance of those who have lost their lives to ALS, as well as continue to raise awareness about the disease. Eig's book is known as the definitive biography on Gehrig's life and was previously picked up in 2017 to be developed as a film, however, the project had since dissipated and now will be adapted for streaming as a television series. Gehrig's life was previously portrayed in the 1942 film, The Pride of the Yankees, which to many is one of the greatest sports films ever made.

    I'm excited to see Lou Gehrig's career and life play out in a streaming series, giving time to breathe and cherish his legacy over multiple episodes. I think it will give clear understanding to the type of man he was, the career he had and the battle he fought against the awful disease that was christened in his name.