Fans To Part-fund Mike Bassett’s England Return
Mike Bassett is set for a to return to management in a sequel to 2001’s Mike Bassett: England Manager, using crowd-sourcing to part-fund the project.
The project features on crowd-sourcing website, Kickstarter, and within 24 hours Mike Bassett: Interim Manager has already raised over £15,000 from 150 different backers – although admittedly there is still a long way to go to meet the £250,000 required to make the film.
Check the film’s progress here.
Mike Bassett: Interim Manager will see Ricky Tomlinson reprise his role as the national coach, with the funding approach offering fans a chance to be a part of the film.
From this week, through until 20th November, fans of the film will be able to contribute cash to the production in exchange for gifts and rewards – ranging from a Mike Bassett ringtone (£5) to a speaking role in the film (although the latter will set you back a minimum of £5,000).
Directed by Steve Barron – the man behind the original film, as well as the likes of Coneheads and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – and produced by Leo Pearlman for Fulwell 73, who also worked on Class of ’92.
Barron said: ‘I had such a great time making the first movie, and watching Bassett become such a football icon over the years has been wonderful. With the Germans dominating football again, we brainstormed a really fun idea and it felt right to bring him back. We can’t wait to get started.’
‘It’s the passion of the fans that convinced us a Bassett return is welcome and that’s why we’re looking to create a film that is partially fan-funded via Kickstarter. It’s innovative fundraising and enables us to create a film for football fans, made by football fans.’
The film sees Mike Bassett falling on hard times after a series of ill-advised career moves, including stints in Germany and with the Iranian national team…who have mistaken him for QPR manager Harry Redknapp.
However, when England’s successful German manager gets another job just weeks before the World Cup, the Interim Manager steps in.
As well as Tomlinson, Amanda Redman and Bradley Walsh are in the frame to reprise their roles as Karine Bassett and assistant manager Dave ‘Doddsy’ Dodds, while Inglorious Basterds star Til Schweiger is reportedly in ‘advanced discussions’ for the role of the enigmatic German manager Jorgen Mannstein.
Filming for the movie will begin in March 2015 and will be aiming to hit screens early in 2016.
Ricky Tomlinson added: ‘It was an easy decision for me to play Mike again. Who wouldn’t want to be England manager without all the stress of actually having the job? Whenever I speak to football fans there’s such affection for Bassett that it’s hard to ignore the demand.’
‘The Kickstarter element is a brilliant way of getting people involved in the film. It’s a football film for football fans so it’s great to recreate the same collectiveness you see on the terraces in a movie.’
