Disney Developing MLB Catcher Dynasty ‘Molina’ Movie With Lin-Manuel Miranda & Rideback

EXCLUSIVE: Disney is shepherding the feature project Molina based on the New York Times best-selling autobiographical book Molina: The Story of the Father Who Raised an Unlikely Baseball Dynasty by Bengie Molina.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jose Rivera (Motorcycle Diaries, 100 Years of Solitude), who also hails from Puerto Rico, is writing the script.

Viajes Miranda’s Lin-Manuel Miranda and Luis Miranda, Jr. are producing along with Rideback’s Jonathan Eirich (Lilo & Stitch) and Diana Nabatoff of Tiara Blu Films, who secured the rights to the book. Rideback’s Nick Reynolds is an executive producer.

Molina’s autobiography is the backbone of the story that tracks the life and upbringing of Bengie, Jose, and Yadier Molina – the only three brothers to all play Major League Baseball at the same time – with a focus on their father Benjamin’s journey with the boys as he set them on the path to success. Incredibly, the three Molina brothers from Puerto Rico all made it to professional baseball’s highest ranks, all became catchers, and all won World Series rings.  

Miranda was nominated for two original song Oscars for Disney movies: “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto and “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana. He recently penned the songs from the studio’s profitable Mufasa which made $175M after all ancillaries after a $722M global gross. Miranda’s filmed live stage version of his multi Tony winning Hamilton was acquired by Disney and streamed during Covid becoming a huge hit on the service.

Rivera is repped by UTA, Code Entertainment and Skrzyniarz & Mallean. Miranda is repped by WME, Liebman Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Rideback has Lilo & Stitch opening on May 23 which is expected to rack up $120M over the four-day Memorial Day weekend.