Rob Zombie Goes from Horror to Hockey with Broad Street Bullies

Posted by on June 19th, 2012   Filed under: Drama
Source: Deadline

Just when we thought we had Rob Zombie: The Filmmaker all figured out, along comes a new project to throw us all a curveball (or a hockey stick in the face, as the case may be). Zombie is apparently in the process of lining up a new movie that will find him breaking away from horror and moving into the realm of sports — hockey, to be exact. Don’t expect this to be your typical sports drama, however. The movie, tentatively titled Broad Street Bullies, will focus on the 1970s Philadelphia Flyers, a team that essentially won a Stanley Cup by beating the crap out of their opponents. Something tells me Zombie’s genre roots will still serve him well here.

According to Deadline, Rob Zombie will write, direct and produce the film, and has the full support of the Flyers organization behind him. He is describing the tone of the film as “Rocky meets Boogie Nights” and also had this to say about it:

“Each character involved is more outrageous than the next… The backdrop of the turbulent year of 1974 is perfect for this ‘stranger than fiction’ sports tale.”

The story of The Broad Street Bullies was previously captured in an HBO documentary of the same name. Michael Dowse’s recent film Goon also delivered some amped up violence on its way to becoming the best hockey movie since Slap Shot. I don’t think it’s ridiculous to think that it may have been part of the inspiration for Zombie to do Broad Street Bullies. Either way, Kevin Smith better hurry up and finish Hit Somebody, as his competition is getting stiffer by the minute. What do you think, can Rob Zombie pull off a decent hockey movie or is this just crazy talk?



  • My favorite hockey team and one of the most interesting genre directors? Hell Yes! Can’t wait see who they will get to play Dave Schultz.

  • rjdelight

    This is a sports movie I could get behind. Hopefully this isn’t just another one of those projects Zombie attaches himself to only to fade away.

  • Wow. Another movie about how violent hockey was/is. How original.

    I loved Slap Shot, Goon was ok, Youngblood sucked. Still waiting on Hit Somebody but that title suggests more of the same.

    The Rocket did deal with some violence but was mostly about a great player and was a great story. Another highly underrated movie was a CBC TV movie called Net Worth, that dealt with the origins of the NHL players’ union and focuses a lot on Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings.

    I know this will come as a surprise to some, but there are other aspects to hockey than fighting.

    Having Zombie attached to any project is not a good sign, in my opinion.

  • GoFlyers

    @MovieWhineyMan

    Wow, a movie about the origins of the NHL players union. that sounds FASCINATING!!! The BSBullies was a team filled with character. They’re making a movie about it because its entertaining. and how can you have hope for a Kevin Smith movie, and bash Rob Zombie in the same sentence? you’re a hypocite and you sound incredibly boring. stop takin things too seriously.

  • projectgenesis

    I am excited to hear what Greg has to say about this one.

  • @GoFlyers

    Instead of flying off the handle, why don’t you re-read what I wrote and then try to behave like a civilized person.

    Where did I say I have hope for a Kevin Smith movie? I said no such thing. I don’t even like Kevin Smith and I think he is the wrong person to direct Hit Somebody. What I did say is I’m waiting on it to give my opinion, which I can’t do until I’ve seen it. At one point, I was looking forward to this film, until Smith was attached. However it sounds like more of the same, which is another hockey movie solely focused on the violent part of the game. I don’t mind that once in a while (see Slap Shot) but there is so much more to the game to be explored.

    As for Net Worth, yes it was very entertaining. I would rank it as the third best hockey movie I’ve ever seen. A solid story and script is the basis for any good movie, let alone one about hockey and Net Worth has that. It doesn’t always have to be about the action.

    Hypocrite? Incredibly boring? You don’t even know me. I would also say that it is you who is taking things too seriously when my typed words get you so riled up that you have to resort to personal attacks and name-calling like a common bully, instead of trying to discuss it intelligently.

    As you can see, I didn’t resort to the same tactics. You think you can calm down long enough for a rational discussion?

  • I should also say that I think Hit Somebody had a lot of potential as the story is explained in the great Warren Zevon song, I just don’t have confidence in Kevin Smith adapting it.