Reports: Sony halts Brad Pitt Film 'Moneyball'

Sony Corp. halted production of the Brad Pitt baseball film "Moneyball" after director Steven Soderbergh made last-minute script changes, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

Soderbergh will be allowed to offer the film, based on Michael Lewis's book about Billy Beane, general manager of Major League Baseball's Oakland A's, to other studios, said the person, who insisted on anonymity because the decision hasn't been announced. Filming was to start today, the person said.

The decision reflects growing concern over costs in Hollywood. The studio may have concluded the changes reduced the film's prospects, Variety reported. Sony Pictures, based in Culver City, California, cut its workforce of 7,000 by 3.5 percent in March. Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros., Viacom Inc.'s Paramount and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. have reduced production in recent months.

Sony spokesman Jim Kennedy declined to comment. Pitt's manager, Cynthia Pett-Dante, didn't return an e-mail message seeking comment from the actor. Michael Adler, Soderbergh's attorney, didn't return a phone message.

Pitt was cast to play Beane, who turned the A's into playoff contenders using arcane statistics to evaluate players. Lewis is a columnist for Bloomberg News.

Baseball Movies

"A League of Our Own," Sony's 1992 comedy starring Tom Hanks, generated ticket sales of $107.5 million, making it the only baseball film to take in more than $100 million in the U.S. and Canada, according to Box Office Mojo LLC, which tracks receipts. The film was made for about $40 million, the Web site said. The average sales for 37 baseball films listed on the Burbank, California-based site are $25.3 million.

Sony ranks fifth in 2009 box-office receipts at theaters in the U.S. and Canada with $587.4 million in sales as of June 21, according to Box Office Mojo. Time Warner is first with $896.1 million.

Sony executives approved production of "Moneyball" based on a script from writer Steven Zaillian. Co-Chairman Amy Pascal stopped work on the film after Soderbergh turned in a revised version late last week, according to the person. The film had a production budget of $57 million, Variety reported.

Sony fell 91 cents to $25.32 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The U.S. shares of Tokyo-based Sony have fallen 16 percent this year.