Josh Hamilton Biopic to Be Written and Directed by Casey Affleck

Josh Hamilton has been through more ups and downs by age 31 than most people will endure in a lifetime. It was only a matter of time before Hollywood came calling.

Mike Fleming of Deadline.com reports an agreement has been reached between Hamilton and Thunder Road Pictures to develop a film about his trials and tribulations. It will be written and directed by Casey Affleck and produced by Basil Iwanyk.

It's a terrific story, there's no doubt about that. Hamilton was an elite, can't-miss prospect when he was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays with the No. 1 overall pick back in 1999. A pure hitter with a sweet swing and five-tool potential, it seemed like Tampa Bay was getting a guaranteed superstar.

Unfortunately, his career was quickly derailed by a drug addiction. Things started to spiral out of control in 2001, and it took until 2006 before he finally started to turn things around. For those five years, it seemed like the chances of him ever playing in the big leagues were all but gone.

The Rays had lost faith in Hamilton by 2006 and left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft that year. The Cincinnati Reds, having seen his potential, decided to take a chance on him. 

It didn't take long for Hamilton to make an impact with his new organization. He posted a .368 on-base percentage and smacked 19 home runs in his rookie season, which came eight seasons after he was drafted.

Cincinnati elected to move Hamilton while his stock was on the rise, trading him to the Texas Rangers for pitchers Edinson Volquez and Daniel Herrera.

Since then, his career has taken off. He won the American League MVP award in 2010 and has established himself as one of the game's best hitters—just like everyone expected him to do 13 years ago.

The list of Hamilton's accomplishments speaks for itself. He has been named to the All-Star team four times, won a batting title and helped carry the Rangers to the World Series in each of the past two seasons. They are well on their way again this season, as well.

It hasn't been all good news, though. Hamilton suffered an embarrassing relapse back in 2009 and had another alcohol related slip-up this past offseason. Though he addressed both incidents, it is clear that Hamilton is still battling his inner demons to stay sober. 

In the final year of his contract, negotiations between Hamilton and the Rangers on a potential long-term extension have not made much headway. There is sure to be plenty of tension as the season winds down and free agency nears.

All told, it's an extraordinary tale with plenty of layers and angles. That being said, it's also a story that is still being written, with plenty of twists and turns yet to come.