BoBCat Studios Sets Development Deal With William Fichtner (EXCLUSIVE)

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – BoBCat Studios has signed a development deal with William Fichtner and his partners Scott Gelade and Justin V. Barocas, Variety has learned exclusively.

BoBCat and Fichtner’s partnership will begin with “Heart of the Race,” a series that explores and celebrates some of the greatest moments in the history of professional racing.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Bill on this project,” said Jeff Conroy, co-founder of BoBCat Studios alongside Thom Beers and Sarah Bernard. “We all know his talent on-screen and off is legendary, but honestly, it’s his passion for motorsports and great stories that makes this collaboration stand apart.”

The series will chronicle some of the most colorful characters and stories in the history of professional racing, with each episode focusing on individuals whose journey greatly impacted the sport and society at large. It will use archival footage coupled with first person narratives and commentary from Fichtner.

“Like me, Bill’s got a lifetime of questions about racetrack legends.” added Beers. “Our hope is that these stories featured in Heart of the Race transcend the sport of racing to reveal something about ourselves.

“Heart of the Race” is the latest automotive project for Beers and Conroy. Their previous projects include “Monster Garage,” “The Great Biker Build Off,” and “Motor City Motors” for Discovery, “Alaska Off-Road Warriors” for History, and the “Motorcycle Mania” and “Harley Davidson: Birth of the V-Rod” documentaries.

“To be able to combine my love of racing with my passion for quality storytelling is a rare opportunity,” said Fichtner. “I couldn’t be happier to partner with BoBCat on this project given Thom and Jeff’s track record for elevating real-life heroes and our shared love of the car world. It’s our collective goal to bring audiences the heartaches, the triumphs, and the meticulous preparation that comes with being an elite driver.“

“Heart of the Race” will be executive produced by Beers, Conroy and Bernard of BoBCat Studios, Fichtner through Roadrunner Films, and Scott and Barocas of Ace Content.