James Franco is reportedly being lined up to direct an adaptation of the book 'Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN'.

The 40-year-old actor is in talks to helm an adaptation of the book - which chronicled the formation of the US sports network - for Focus Features, Collider reports.

Christopher C. Rogers - who is the co-creator of 'Halt and Catch Fire' - has been approached to rewrite the script, which tells the story of Bill Rasmussen, a communications executive who teamed up with his son, Scott, to launch the network.

Rasmussen pushed himself towards the brink of bankruptcy in order to get the business off the ground.

The original book is based on more than 500 interviews with ESPN employees and professional athletes.

Meanwhile, James previously admitted he's keen to work on movies that ''nobody else is going to make''.

The Hollywood star insisted he's no longer driven by box-office success and is instead motivated by making films that leave him satisfied.

He shared: ''I had been in the 'Spider-Man' films, some of the biggest blockbusters ever, but also 'Milk', which had won Oscars.

''So I asked myself what kind of movies I wanted to make, and here's the answer I came up with: I've been acting in all these other films that feel like other people's movies. Now I want to do movies that nobody else is going to make, regardless of the box-office potential.''