A new TV series is in the works, based on the bestselling sapphic novel Cleat Cute. The book, written by Meryl Wilsner, is a rivals-to-lovers rom-com following two footballers as they prepare for the World Cup.
Through the story, readers meet the fictional Grace Henderson, who has been a star of the US women’s soccer team for 10 years. However, when she is sidelined by injury, an up-and-comer, Phoebe Matthews, takes her spot. While both are competing for the same position, they unexpectedly develop a connection beyond the locker room, leading them to question whether they care more about their relationship or their place on the team.
Although the new series is inspired by Cleat Cute, it will instead be called Playing the Field. According to Deadline, it will be an ensemble comedy following the sexy, messy and exciting lives of four players on Crescent City, a professional women’s football team based in New Orleans. The relationship between Grace and Phoebe will be central to the storyline, as viewers will get to see how the will-they-won’t-they romance unfolds.
Sarah Tapscott will lead the charge as the project’s showrunner, executive producer and writer. She is also currently a co-executive producer on the upcoming Hulu/WBTV project Not Suitable For Work, and previously worked on The Sex Lives of College Girls, The Big Leap and New Girl, to name a few.
US sporting power couple Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe are similarly on board as executive producers, as are Jeff Wachtel and Jared Berenholz for Future Shack Entertainment, Camille Bernier-Green, Emily Rasenick, and Wilsner. The show is currently in development with Amazon MGM Studios, but there has been no release date confirmed as of yet.
Author of Cleat Cute, Meryl Wilsner, is known for writing happily ever afters for queer folks who love women. Some of their other books include Something to Talk About, Mistakes Were Made and My Best Friend’s Honeymoon.
Sharing the news on Instagram, Wilsner wrote, “When I tell you this could not be in better hands, I mean it… I’m so excited to see where [Sarah Tapscott] takes my favorite fictional soccer lesbians.”
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