Drew Barrymore to direct 'Whip It'Drew Barrymore will make her directing debut next year with “Whip It,” a film about the mad world of roller derby, according to Production Charts [1]. The film is in pre-production, with no casting announcements made yet. Shauna Cross is the screenwriter. Cross is a member of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls and recently published a teen-oriented novel called “Derby Girl.” I'm not sure if “Whip It” is officially a film adaptation of “Derby Girl,” but the plot synopses sound quite similar. Production Charts reports “Whip It” is about “a Midwestern, small-town, teenage girl (who) discovers the high-energy world of roller derby and must decide if she’s willing to go against her parents and friends in order to pursue the sport she loves.” “Derby Girl” is about a similar girl living in Texas, whose mom wants her to be a beauty pageant queen. Roller derby provides the girl with a rebellious avenue of escape. Even if “Whip It” ends up being totally awful, something tells me it will make an excellent date flick. (Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)