In a chain of casting news that reads like a tennis volley, Variety reports that Emma Stone will play Billie Jean King in the new tennis drama, Battle of the Sexes. Brie Larson had previously been in talks to star in the film after scheduling conflicts pushed Stone (who was originally cast) away from the role, but now that has Larson signed up for a separate project (in The Glass Castle), Stone is back in the part. We’d be tempted to turn this whole thing into a tennis metaphor and announce “advantage, Stone!” but a) that’s tacky b) these women are professionals and they don’t need us to invent a fake competition. In other news, Battle of the Sexes also stars Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs and it’s just one of many projects in development set around the famous 1973 King-Riggs tennis match (here’s where we get into the real competition). HBO is producing Proof, starring Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti, while Chernin Entertainment has Match Maker, with Will Ferrell set to play Riggs. Neither of those projects, however, can match Battle of the Sexes’s raw potential for Crazy, Stupid, Love puns. Advantage, Stone!
