It’s the stranger-than-fiction story of the humble teenager who single-handedly changed darts overnight – and one that is practically begging to be adapted for the big screen.
Reports suggest that Luke Litter’s meteoric rise to fame has already fuelled a bidding war for the rights to recreate it on film, less than a day after he stepped up as the youngest ever World Darts Championship finalist at Alexandra Palace.
Boxing powerhouse Anthony Joshua‘s production company is said to have tabled a multi-million pound bid to secure permission to adapt the 16-year-old’s story after millions watched his nail-biting final against Luke Humphries on Wednesday.
Littler, now among the top 32 darts players in the world, went toe-to-toe with world number one Humphries as the PDC World Darts Championship’s youngest ever finalist, losing 7-4 after trouncing other players with a lifetime’s more experience.
Joshua’s production firm, SBX Studios, is said to have eyes on a biopic and comes as Sky Sports confirmed it was producing a behind-the-scenes documentary on this year’s darts championship unlike any other.
Luke Littler – pictured here after his nail-biting WDC final against Luke Humphries – is reportedly at the centre of an intense bidding war for the rights to film his life story
Millions watched the 16-year-old take on Humphries, giving Sky Sports its biggest non-football audience on record
Boxer Anthony Joshua’s production company SBX Studios is reported to have made a multi-million pound offer for the rights to Littler’s story
Littler – pictured facing off against Humphries on Wednesday night – has reignited interest in darts in a way not seen in years
A source told The Sun of Joshua’s rumoured interest in Littler: ‘There is a real fight to buy the film rights to Luke and his team have been getting loads of offers.
‘Anthony’s production company put one on the table yesterday and are really keen to get Luke on board.
‘As a sportsman, Anthony has watched Luke’s incredible rise and thinks his story is incredibly inspiring. He would love the chance to help tell it and thinks their offer is one of the best Luke will get.’
According to its website, SBX Studios has produced content for brands such as Hugo Boss, Lucozade, Under Armour, and Turkish Airlines, as well as online sports platform DAZN and boxing promoter Matchroom.
It has also created content for figures such as Raheem Sterling and Mo Farah, as well as Joshua himself – but a project such as adapting Littler for the big screen would likely be its biggest yet.
Film executives will be keen to capitalise on Littler’s fame while it is fresh, amid a resurgence in mainstream interest in darts that hasn’t been seen since Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.
It doesn’t hurt that the 16-year-old’s life story has all of the ingredients of a good biopic, from his humble roots in Warrington to the young love flourishing between the teen and 21-year-old beautician girlfriend Eloise Milburn.
His arrival on the world stage came after years of conquering junior leagues with the encouragement of his parents, who got him into darts from the moment he could walk and encouraged him to develop his potential at the oche.
And any adaptation would come hot on the heels of a number of other ‘alternative’ sports biopics based on a true story released in recent years.
Among them are flicks such as The Phantom of the Open, based on the exploits of Maurice Flitcroft, the ‘world’s worst golfer’, and Gran Turismo, based on racing driver Jann Mardenborough, who began his career driving cars on his PlayStation.
Mark Rylance as Maurice Flitcroft in The Phantom of the Open, another stranger-than-fiction sports story recently given the film treatment
Archie Madekwe and David Harbour in Gran Turismo, based on the story of Jann Mardenborough – a racing driver who got his start driving cars on his PlayStation
Sky Sports said a combined 4.7 million people watched the WDC final on Wednesday night, with the peak audience of 3.71m watching ‘Cool Hand’ Luke Humphries take the crown, up 143 per cent on last year’s event.
It’s the biggest non-football audience Sky has ever recorded, usurping Formula One races and events like The Ashes and the Ryder Cup.
Clairvoyants at Sky, presumably aware this year’s championship would be one to remember, saw fit to send camera crews around the country to follow some of the WDC’s contenders ahead of this week’s Ally Pally showdown.
The series, which currently has the pointedly direct title of Darts, will come out later this year.
Production is being handled by Dorothy St Pictures, which previously put together the acclaimed Disney+ series Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story.
Any potential deal would enhance Littler’s already bulging coffers after he walked away from Wednesday’s final with a not unenviable consolation prize of £200,000 (potentially subject to taxation).
He has already committed to spending some of his win on a new coat and virtual currency for FIFA followup game EA Sports FC.
Marketing experts predict that Littler could earn over £40million from commercial tie-ins and sponsorship deals.
He is already selling a range of licensed darts and flights; his official steel tip darts sold out before he even reached the final.
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