EXCLUSIVE: Who says blogging is a dead-end existence?
Columbia Pictures has made a deal to develop The Pioneer Woman, a romantic comedy that's being shaped as a potential star vehicle for Reese Witherspoon. The studio has acquired rights to thepioneerwoman.com, a blog by Ree Drummond that details how a detour on a trip from L.A. to Chicago led her to Oklahoma. There, she met the cowboy of her dreams and transformed from spoiled city girl to domestic ranch wife.
Laura Ziskin and Pam Williams will produce. Drummond wrote a bestselling cookbook, and has turned her homespun tales into Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, a book that will be published by William Morrow next Valentine’s Day. That's part of the rights package.
Drummond has a large following for a blog she writes from the cattle ranch that covers everything from cooking to tips on home schooling. The film will explore the fantasy of trading big city living for a wholesome simpler life. Rights to the book are part of the deal brokered by UTA and LJK Literary Management.
Uh, won’t this have a lot of thematic overlap with Sweet Home Alabama? I miss the edgy Reese who did Freeway and Election.
Sounds gross, but maybe THIS time her character won’t be an awful person to the bitter end. Seriously once her character outed Ethan Embry’s I just sat through the rest of the movie hoping she’d fall off a cliff or drown in the shower.
Regardless, I won’t be watching this drivel.
Those were great movies, we were laughing about Freeway a few months ago. I wish she would go back to something along those lines.
She has such great timing for the quirky/edgy comedies.
wow, someone’s hacky real life becomes a hacky motion picture.
will she cough at some dust and fall off a horse?? only time will tell!
Well, everyone knows you aren’t living a full and exciting life unless there is a 24 hour Starbucks within a 10 minute drive.
Go Britney…Go Britney….get your Frap on.
EXT. FIELDS, DAWN
Reese struggles to carry a pail of oats across a muddy field to the stable. We PAN DOWN to REVEAL she is wearing high heels! So funny! She stumbles and falls!
barf.
So now the basis for half of every romantic comedy ever made is just going to be done again, except this time it will be different, because they will be able to superimpose “BASED ON A TRUE STORY” before the movie begins.
I like Reese as a person but good grief does anyone really care anymore as an actress? Why do studios keep catering stories to fit her? Besides, isn’t this a tad “done” considering some of the elements to Sweet Home Alabama? This concept sounds so much better with someone like Rachel McAdams or Kristen Bell or even Katherine Heigl. Because they’re still relevant. Reese, sadly, is not.
SWEET HOME ALABAMA?
Fish out of water rom-com – we’ve never seen that before from Reese (LEGALLY BLONDE, SWEET HOME ALABAMA). Great idea Columbia to develop it for her, keep up the good work!
It’s a reverse SWEET HOME ALABAMA?
Are you serious? What’s it called, “Sweet Home Oklahoma?”
Oh. So it’s SWEET HOME ALABAMA. But in Oklahoma. So it’s different. I see.
I thought Sony had no development money?
Didn’t she star in this movie already when it was called “Sweet Home Alabama”?
This sounds like tons of movies already made. Anyone care to start the list?
Umm didn’t Reese Witherspoon already do this type of storyline?? Sweet Home Alabama anyone?
I love Reese but gurrrllll, how about doing some work worthy of your Oscar?!
Sounds like a variation on “Sweet Home Alabama.” Is it even possible to do a modern, intelligent romantic comedy? I can think of three clever Cary Grant rom coms that featured equally strong leads for Irene Dunne, Rosalind Russell and Katherine Hepburn. But at least two of those screenplays originated in the theater.
Here’s hoping this isn’t Hollywood churning out another well-worn, treacly suckfest for the easy date-night dollars. Witherspoon’s already been pretty good in a bad rom com. Would like to see her be good in a good one.
Neeeeww YORK is where I’d rahther stay!
I get allergic smelling hay!
I just adore a penthouse view.
Dahling I love you, but give me Park Avenue!
Sooner or later it had to happen. What’s next?
Ree, that is so awesome. You totally deserve this and your blog and life stoy is just amazing!
Seems like Reese is “attached” to more projects than just about any other actress, yet she only makes about one movie every two years.
Meanwhile if you go over to that future trainwreck of a studio and try to sell them anything good ( a fucking cookbook? ) they will tell you that they are out of development money until 2013. That’s if they call you back, which Tolmach doesn’t know how to do. The end of Spiderman 4 means the end of Sony’s current team and not a moment too soon.
In the future, everyone will be played by Amy Adams for 15 minutes.
there’s a reason they’re out of development money ’til ‘13.
Man….if only Amy Baer and CBS could have bought this for J-Lo.
I’m sure Sony thought it was based on a blog so that meant it had a built in audience.
This movie will get made, lose money, be terrible….and then Sony will say “Audience dont want romantic comedies” or “Reese is not a star” or “Movies set in the USA dont play well overseas.” They will say anything but this is a bad idea for a movie that should not have been made and that is why it failed.
Wow like an actor has never done a part reminiscent of a successful role from their past. You’d think Reese was the first.
I think this is a great idea. Pioneer Woman is about as big as blogs get, her average post get hundreds of comments, when she gives away a prize, she gets tens of thousands. It surely dwarfs the comment sections of any other site I visit. I don’t know if that’s a real sign of popularity, but it must mean something.
She also writes some great recipes, but goes way over board with too many pictures for my liking.
I’ve never been able to figure out the focus of that Pioneer Woman blog. It’s all over the place. If your interest is cooking you’ll find recipes which, for the most part, are re-hashed from the magazines found in any grocery check-out lane. That’s the primary reason I didn’t invest in her cookbook. And each recipe is accompanied by an inordinate amount of photos. Have you ever forgotten how to use a salt shaker? Check out this blog–there’ll be a photo to remind you.
If your interest is photography, you can certainly find photos ad nauseaum. She also posts about home schooling, life on an Oklahoma cattle ranch, gardening, etc. For her vegetarian fans, it’s a good thing she doesn’t photograph the fate of the cattle her husband raises. With her increased popularity, the multiple ads have become annoying.
And now Hollywood is going to make a movie about this? The Hallmark Channel would be a more appropriate venue for this soap opera.
Gee. Cynical much?
Reese Witherspoon is quickly becoming a parody of herself. There was a time when she was an actual actress (talented, etc.), now I don’t know what she is. She’s just milking whatever fame she has left, collecting as many $10 to $15 million paychecks and AVON contracts along the way until, eventually, she’ll just be a joke. This is a recipe for guaranteed obscurity in five years.
I promise ten years from now we’ll be seeing Reese Witherspoon starring in late-night infomercials. She seems to have no ambition of stretching herself as an actress or making good movies.
It’s not just Sweet Home Alabama, it’s Sweet Home Alabama meets Julie and Julia because of the blog and cook book twist. Those Development Execs are smart. Forget about theatre and fiction, everyone knows basing a movie on a blog and a cookbook is box office gold.
I read the blog. It’s quite entertaining. Reese is completely wrong for the part. The real Pioneer Woman is less of a delicate girly girl and more of a Lauren Graham/Sandra Bullock type but good for her for selling her story. Does anyone want to buy my story. It’s about an blonde Valley girl who goes to an East Coast law school and finds herself being ridiculed for her pastel wardrobe and over use of the phrase, “It’s like, you know.”
Tina Fey.
folks…it’s truly time we found a way to finance and shoot our own films. and i am not saying this sarcastically.
Does Reese remember that she won an Oscar?
Does nobody on this comments page actually read each others comments, all rushing to give their own opinion?
I’m now certain this film has some similar themes to Sweet Home Alabama, thanks to all twenty of you who pointed it out. Cheers.
Comments are moderated on this blog so ten or twelve are generally released simultaneously. They all think they’re independently clever.
I love that blog; the author has a great story and her writing is fun and fresh. But cutesy romantic comedy is not the way to go with it. I hope I’m wrong and they can do something better with it, but I have my doubts.
It will be a huge hit. Ree + Reece = FABULOUS
Reese hasn’t had a hit since 2005 and hasn’t had two hits since 2002.
Sounds like a really original idea. I’m there.
Signed,
Me in 1998
I hope the movie can rise above the source material. Also, it helps that the Pioneer Woman married a cattle baron–even before the success of the blog the Drummonds were millionaires.
Well said!
Every studio has at least 2-3 romantic comedy projects that Reese is “attached” to. It’s meaningless fluffery. This one sounds desperate. She’s already turned the Betty Davis corner as an actress.
Congrats Ree!! I can not wait!
It’s not the same as Sweet Home Alabama. She was already married to some country hick in that movie. And this one is about a true story, based around a blog. It’s kind of different. I’m sure they’re going to change elements to make it different from other movies. Give it a chance before you knock it. See it when it comes out, then if you still don’t like it.. tell us!
Ree’s story is really entertaining and fun to read. I’m sure it will be a great romantic comedy. That being said, I didn’t say it would be an Oscar winner or a thought-provoking look at American life or anything like that. It’s a ROMANTIC COMEDY. And Reese Witherspoon loves those. I do agree that Lauren Graham would be way better because she pulls off the snarky, sarcastic humor well. Maybe Reese can too though. Don’t hate on Ree just because she didn’t have a “Precious” story that will, in your minds, be worthy of Reese’s awards. It’s her choice, y’all.
Ree is not flighty like many characters portrayed by Reese. And Reese is an actress, capable of playing many many parts and pulling out the levels of those parts. Reese, Ree, and the blog won’t be at fault if this movie is a do-over of other movies, the screenwriters will be. Black Heels to Tractor Wheels has been on the blog, released in chapter form, for a long time. It is well-written, touching, and great for a movie.
i’ve been a pioneer woman fan for quite some time. i can’t even imagine her blog made into a movie. so many different ways to go with it. i’ll be first in line to buy my tickets for sure!
doesn’t anyone at sony remember their fish out of water romantic comedy about city folk in the country that BOMBED? don’t tell me they didn’t hear about the Morgans either!
Now that’s funny!
A comment that will be about a hundred times funnier than anything in this future trainwreck of a movie.
I am a huge fan of the Pioneer Woman and cannot wait to have her story made into a movie. Different strokes for different folks. If you don’t want to see, don’t go. I for one will be first in line at the theater!
Holy crap. A movie, about a woman who was already well off, who married a tycoon. Wow, so inspiring. NOT.
Ree is not dainty and pretty like Reese, she’s red and freckled and mannish, who need bangs. BIG forehead.
@ Betsy: REEEEEER!!! What a catty comment. If you have read Ree’s blog you wouldn’t make those snotty comments. Sounds like you have some self esteem issues.
Wow, Betsy. You sound like a real winner! In addition to your description of Ree, I would add nice, funny, down to earth, generous, and a much better person than most people. Namely, you.
seriously??? somebody has some envy issues.
I never comment on this site but I just have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ree Drummond’s blog, bought her cookbook, will buy her romance novel and would definitely pay to see a movie based on her ranch life.
Ree is a very likable, NORMAL, down to earth American wife/mother/etc. There is a reason her blog is so huge and it ain’t because she’s incredibly gorgeous, thin, and lives in Los Angeles. No one wants to watch shit about twiggy LA brats except wannabe twiggy LA brats and teenagers. A story like Ree’s is one that has broad appeal.
I think Sandra Bullock would be a better choice but what do I know? I leave all that mumbo jumbo to you “industry professionals”.
I’ve been sick of this woman’s blog for about two years now. I don’t find the love story very compelling or even very original. And I really get sick of hearing how she homeschools her kids when she’s never home or if she is, she’s taking pictures of parsley.
Oh, and her cookbook is terrible. It’s a cookbook designed for begining cooks with so many mistakes that it’s worthless (although I do like the ranch dressing recipe).
Look, I am a man, and I don’t know anything about this blog lady’s “story,” but I can vouch for the recipes. Delicious. Maybe Sony is looking to get into the “Cast Iron Grilled Ribeye” business.
Gosh – the comments here are so much more vicious that at Ree’s place. I’m a little nervous…
For what it’s worth, I think people should actually read Ree’s story before they decide what is worthwhile and what is not. It’s not Sweet Home Alabama, that’s for sure.
My suggestions for lead roles: Nicole Kidman for PW and Daniel Craig for MM. Heh.
Have a great day, America!

BB
I’ve never been able to figure out the focus of that Pioneer Woman blog. It’s all over the place. If your interest is cooking you’ll find recipes which, for the most part, are re-hashed from the magazines found in any grocery check-out lane. That’s the primary reason I didn’t invest in her cookbook. And each recipe is accompanied by an inordinate amount of photos. Have you ever forgotten how to use a salt shaker? Check out this blog–there’ll be a photo to remind you.
If your interest is photography, you can certainly find photos ad nauseaum. She also posts about home schooling, life on an Oklahoma cattle ranch, gardening, etc. For her vegetarian fans, it’s a good thing she doesn’t photograph the fate of the cattle her husband raises. With her increased popularity, the multiple ads have become annoying.
And now Hollywood is going to make a movie about all this? The Hallmark Channel would be a more appropriate venue for this soap opera.
Hey anything Reese does turns to profit we all know this and I think she looks fantastic at anything she does. So I think this is a go too. She got the country accent for it anyway. I must admit Freeway made me laugh too!
Kick ass Reese!….Muah~~~~~~~
“Chilly”
Wow I can’t believe how many mean people are out there! Ree’s blog is such a great one. She never has anything mean to say and is always uplifting. Maybe all you jealous haters should go have a look at it…maybe you will become nice.
I love reading Ree’s Blog, I’ve read her romance novel on her site just loved it and well be buying the book. Can’t waite for the movie, Ree’s one of a kind!!!!!!!!
I love reading Ree’s blog, and I honestly can’t wait to see this. Congrats to the Pioneer Woman!
I just found out about her blog today (thanks to this site). But I’m an urban guy. Still, I found out about that cool looking new John Hughes book from her blog, so there’s that. I can see how some people would enjoy her blog.
But where’s Talking Points Memo: The Movie?
I went to check it out because of this article and will definitely check out the photography info and various other tips in the future.
I can see why people like the blog. She gives very detailed information on photography software and I am sure everything else she does. Haven’t seen the whole site yet…..lots of info there.
I love the Pioneer Woman and would love to see a movie about her life!
Sick of the Pioneer Woman drivel.
Yeah, a lot of nasty, bitter people out there. A high concentration of them are gathered in Hollywood making laughable movies and stabbing each other in the back during their down time. Woo hoo.
So will this be Reese’s second time playing a real life character who’s far less attractive then she? I know June Carter was her first, but was there any others?
I love Ree’s blog, her & MM’s true love story (seriously would go nuts waiting for her to post the next chapter) and am super happy and excited for her. She’s mega nice, and definitely doesn’t deserve all this bitter nastiness – who peed in your Cheerios people?
Also – I like Reese Witherspoon too. I think she’s also super sweet and what did she ever do to earn this backlash? are you paying her salary? if you don’t like her movies, DON’T WATCH THEM.
All those in support of Ree – I’m with ya!!
All those who are just being nasty & rude – get over yourselves.
PS – some of us who aren’t the best cooks out there – LIKE all the photos in the recipe section of her blog and in her cookbook, helps us know that what we’re doing looks right. Sorry we aren’t all master chefs like you all must obviously be. Again, get over yourselves.
Does Reese even have an agent? If so that person should be fired. I am being kind when I say this is a made for TV movie at best.
Poor Reese. First loosing Jake and now this? Ouch…..
What a bunch of haters.Stay home and don’t watch the movie.
Ree has always had money and makes no apologies for that.She is warm, funny, creative and is very much a typical Okie housewife.I know because I am one too. I would love to see Debra Messing play Ree but I am sure Reese could do it well too.
Many people love the pictures in her cookbook and blog because we are learning as we go. Master chefs just keep clicking until you find some blog you feel worthy of your attentions and if you find a life and maybe a few of your manners on the way then good for you.
WOW! What is wrong with you? I LOVE Ree Drummond and her blog! She is truly a warm and gracious person whom I have had the pleasure of meeting in person. She is completely wonderful in so many ways. We could use some wholesomeness in Hollywood! I will buy the book and I will be going to the movie.
I agree. Hollywood, and apparently a lot of you, could use some wholesomeness and manners. What does it matter that Ree had/has money? Creativity and goodness aren’t necessarily spawned only from poverty. It’s amazing the following she has developed and it DOESN’T hinge on a power grab or on sleeping with the hired hands, for heavens sake.
Get over yourselves. And if you don’t like Ree’s writing and opinions, you don’t have to be nasty about it, you don’t have to buy her book, or read her blog. Try doing something uplifting and in good taste once a day yourselves and the world might be a better place in spite of you.
Ree keeps it real. Those who follow her blog get it. Her success has been earned through her warmth, genuineness, intelligence and talent. Those who make negative comments without thoughtful critique lack all of those qualities, sadly.
blogs to movies…the vintage Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck was essentially about a blog (from a mag at the time)or column written by a woman about her wonderful (faux) life in a big cozy house in Connecticut-once the producers, studio and director gets a chokehold on a story it becomes a fairytale anyway.
Reese is sooo yesterday. Sandra Bullock is hot right now, especially since her biker trash hubby got caught laying pipe in a tattoo whore.
This is certainly entertaining: the real-people-Ree-fans versus the oh-so-jaded “industry” insiders. What a dichotomy. I guess we’ll all see whether real life or Hollywood will win out on this one.
Here’s the deal. If you have not read several of Pioneer Woman’s posts on her blog, the you have absolutely no business having an opinion about this. I agree from the surface it looks trite, boring and overdone, but you really need to get to know Ree. She is different, fresh, amazing. Look at her readership and you will know that there is something golden about her. Whoever is backing all of this knows a good investment when they see it. I have said from the beginning that Ree is the new Oprah… with some serious class! This couldn’t have happened to someone more deserving! Now if she can just stay out of the line of fire of the idiots who want to judge just to hear themselves talk…
Settle down. I guess there must have been a link to one of Ree’s fansites and now all her supporters feel the need to defend her. She’s a blogger for peet’s sake. Next we’ll be doing a movie about Ariana Huffington. Jeez.
Outside the Ree fandom no one cares about her or her stupid story. This is, at best, a TV movie. This is also yet another example of Reese Witherspoon’s career collapsing before our very eyes.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
The real story is that she was born in Oklahoma, grew up practically on a country club with a Doctor for a father, moved to LA, graduated from college, went back to Oklahoma and the son of a 4 generation, multi-million dollar oil and ranching family. Jackpot! She never speaks about money, however. But the idea that she “gave it all up” is really just bollocks. She’s just far away from Starbucks.
She never said she gave up money to live on a ranch. She gave up on the life she thought she had mapped out for herself, for something better she would have never imagined. Something I think a lot of people can relate too.
“Laura Ziskin and Pam Williams will produce”. I would be surprised if that is a done deal. I think what Laura and Pam are doing is floating this idea out to the nets to see if they have a bomb on their hands. If they are going by Pioneerwoman.com alone they are only getting a loosely based story in the romance novella she has on her site for free.
It is interesting how the “producers” in this case can gain a wealth of financial information before they even sign a deal. You can bet they are reading every thing they can find regarding PW. Before long they will come across how it all works.
I believe that PW does not get that many unique visitors to her site each month. I am using the term unique differently than the internet does. For the internet unique means someone different. On PW unique means thousands of woman checking back hundreds of times per day to see if they won a bright orange dutch oven. PW buys her uniques.
If Ziskin and Williams do their homework they will see that the eyes that are viewing PW are not unique at all. They are obsessed, stay at home Moms who will probably not be buying a movie ticket. Why buy the book when they can read it for free while baby is nappin. Remember these uniques go frantic for free stuff.
However, if the movie does get made I vote for Kathy Griffin as Ree! Make it a comedy! Now that might work!
I know of three “unique” visitors to her blog that are now followers and only one of those is a stay-at-home-mom. Maybe stay-at-home moms go for free stuff because they choose the luxury of raising their own children. When there is something worth spending their money on they gladly do it.
I see it as a flash-back movie with Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon sitting on the couch and reminiscing…’remember that day I saw you in that bar…?’ With tons of cameos.
Actually I’m not an obcessed stay at home Mom, but, I read her blog daily. It is refreshing to read something so funny, tongue in cheek about daily life on a ranch. It is sad, that biased, snobby people that have not a clue what real life is about can judge someone so harshly. I would buy a ticket to see her movie. For those of us who hail from Oklahoma, we are proud of our state, and Ree. For those of who have no idea what it is like to live in our state or enjoy the rural life, just button it and keep your mean hateful remarks to yourself.
Actually – my comments can be read on this blog posting. I don’t have to “button it”! I wonder if the produces know that Ree has her moderators delete every negative comment off of her site. How real is that?
Now proudly run along and see if your hero has a shiny new blue kitchen aid mixer for you to win!!! Click, click, click!
Who cares if negative comments are removed? I write a blog and if anyone left me negative comments, I would delete them. Not worth the time the people use to leave them. How do you know this? Do you leave them and then never see them? I am sure the producers know more than we do about Ree and her blog.
The idea for this movie is as stupid as that Stretch Armstrong flick.
I for one am a huge fan of Pioneer WOman and can’t wait to watch.
that sounds sooooo boring.
pioneer woman isn’t really all that exciting; unless she has these big giveaways on her blog.
let’s make a movie about REAL chefs with real rags to riches stories like EMERIL! HELLO!
I like Reese Witherspoon. She looks a bit old in that pic tho. Sweet Home Alabama it is!
I don’t know, I just think the producers are floating the idea…and brought in Reese as a top-star attraction to that idea to see if it’d fly.
The problem with this ’storyline/movie’ is that Reese is currently about to make a similar “country/rodeo” movie with Tom Cruise (Paper Wings) and it would be redundant to cough up another similar hack movie back-to-back. The Ree woman is a blogger — and yes, she’s already rich. Frankly, I think the blog is her way of getting some notriety she feels she lacks from having married a country bumpkin. (Have personal insight into this).
I see a calmity for Ree & her family (examples in the snarky, mean comments here) and other issues too wide & diverse to list. Personally, I think Ree exploits her children in her blog, too many pictures and lord knows who all is looking at those kids online. (Sorry, but I’m careful about my kids, her stuff just scares me as a mom).
As for Reese, she really needs to look into serious female roles, not just this fluff crap. She is far superior to this, and a potential PW movie is NOT another June Cash character profile.
I think you all are missing the point. this is a TRUE story of a REAL woman’s life. This isn’t invented for Reese Witherspoon. I also agree that Rachel McAdams would make an excellent choice. but the issue isn’t about Reese, it’s about Ree Drummond!
It is remarkable, it is the valuable answer
Yes, PW’s comment ARE moderated. I know, have tried negative comments and they disappear. Try it if you don’t believe it.
Ree is not ‘real’…she is writing basically a PR line of drivel. I should know, I work in PR. You pick a ‘lovable’ persona, exploit it to the max, but NEVER, EVER divert from that persona. I mean, does any of her regular readers really and truly think she NEVER gets angry, never has a melt-down, never gets upset with “Marlboro Man” (horrid nik, since it conjures up images of smoking and cancer). Ree is NOT keeping it real, she’s a minupulating marketing genius. And the moron brain-dead fans who hang on her every word are the ones she’s using to bring in the big bucks.
As for the movie, yep it’s made-for-tv…lifetime ilk. Bet Reese signs off on this one.
As someone who grew up knowing Ree and her family I can honestly say the blog is pretty much her. She is pretty upbeat, outgoing and friendly. Of course she has her moments. Who doesn’t? But do any of us go out and blog about them?! I know I don’t!
All this said, I haven’t looked at her blog much in years. I’m not into photography, don’t have kids or home school, and I grew up with the same recipes she was always posting so I really didn’t need to waste time with that. I miss the stories about the misadventures of her youth through college years. If they can make a movie about some of that it could be pretty funny.
Ree is beautiful. It’s an “Irish princess” sort of beauty. Lucky girl! And she’s kind and her blog is wholesome. Who can boast this? You don’t read her blog and come away feeling like you have licked the garbage.
A question for those who have left mean comments: Do you like yourself? When you like and accept yourself, the whole world seems a little less dreary, right?
Well at least this movie is original. Tired of seeing remake movies.
Ree Drummond lives the kind of life that needs to be promoted. What an awesome way to get her message out through the big screen.
It doesn’t matter if it is similar to Sweet Home Alabama. That was a great movie, and so will this one be.
If there’s another movie that is like Terminator or Aliens (or any Cameron movie) and is just as good, I would gladly watch it. I’ll do the same with this romantic comedy since the blueprint for the story is a solid one (albeit overdone.)
This will be a great movie wholesome family inspired.