Netflix to Pay $13.5 Million for Cubs “Love Song,” a New Film Led by Owner Craig Counsell.vc
Titled “Wrigley: Heart of Darkness,” the stunning $13.5 million film project promises to be a definitive love song to a century of heartbreak, devotion, and ultimate redemption.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs aren’t just a baseball team—they’re a living heartbeat of America. And now, that heartbeat is heading to Hollywood in a major way.
In a stunning move announced today, Netflix has greenlit a $13.5 million film project, “Wrigley: Heart of Darkness,” to be led by Cubs owner Craig Counsell.
The film promises to be a definitive “love song” to the franchise, retracing a century of profound heartbreak, unwavering devotion, and the electric, unforgettable night of redemption in 2016—and the new era that followed.
For the streaming giant, the $13.5 million investment signals a belief that the Cubs’ story transcends sports and represents a core piece of American culture.
The project is the vision of Cubs owner Craig Counsell, who has championed the film as a way to immortalize the unique, spiritual bond between the city and the team.
“This isn’t just a story about baseball. It’s a story about faith,” Counsell (fictional role) said in a statement. “It’s about the families who passed down their love for this team through generations, who endured the darkness for 108 years, and who finally saw the light. We had to tell that story.”
The film’s provocative title, “Wrigley: Heart of Darkness,” is intentional. It aims to explore the deep “cursed years” of waiting—the near misses, the superstitions, and the national identity of being “lovable losers”—before contrasting it with the explosive joy of the 2016 World Series.
Sources say the film will utilize never-before-seen footage from the 2016 run and will feature new, in-depth interviews with the players who broke the curse, the fans who lived it, and the city that was reborn with it.
For Netflix, this is a premium prestige project. The $13.5 million budget places it among the highest-end documentary films, ensuring a cinematic, deeply personal retelling of one of the greatest stories in sports history.
“Wrigley: Heart of Darkness” is slated to begin production in early 2026 and is tentatively aimed for a fall 2027 release, marking the 11th anniversary of the historic championship.
