The Fighter

[MacGuffin]

Wahlberg, Damon step into ring
Paramount fast-tracks 'Fighter'
Source: Variety

Paramount Pictures is poised to put "The Departed" co-stars Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon back in the ring together.

Studio has fast-tracked "The Fighter," a drama about boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's unlikely road to the world lightweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO'd by drugs and crime.

Mandeville's David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman will produce.

"House" exec producer Paul Attanasio is working on a rewrite that will be completed within two weeks. If they like the script, Wahlberg and Damon will commit, and each will make "The Fighter" his next film. Shooting will begin in early summer in Massachusetts.

Attanasio, who recently adapted John Steinbeck's "East of Eden" for Imagine, is rewriting a draft by Lewis Collick. Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy penned the original script. Emphasis in the rewrite is on the themes of brotherhood and redemption.

Like the Ward brothers, Wahlberg and Damon are both Massachusetts natives, and they have met several times about "The Fighter." Wahlberg, who's up for a supporting actor Oscar for "The Departed," is about to open in Paramount thriller "The Shooter" and recently wrapped "We Own the Night" for 2929 Prods. and Universal. Damon just wrapped "Ocean's Thirteen" and "The Bourne Ultimatum."

[MacGuffin]

Requiem for a Fighter
IGN knows who may direct the Wahlberg-Damon reunion.

IGN has learned from reliable sources that there is now a director set to step into the ring for The Fighter, a fact-based boxing drama that will reteam Departed co-stars Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon.

We have learned that Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain) will helm the Paramount drama. The pic is expected to be the next project for both Wahlberg and Damon, with filming slated to commence in Massachusetts this summer.

Both Paramount and Aronofsky's reps at CAA had no comment.

Paul Attanasio recently wrote a rewrite of the Fighter screenplay, which was originally penned by Lewis Collick, Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy.

The film follows boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward's (Wahlberg) rise to the Light Welterweight world championship and his relationship with his drug-addicted half-brother and trainer Dickey Eklund (Damon).

Aronofsky previously tackled onscreen drug addiction in Requiem for a Dream.

[Kal]

That'd be really cool

[Gold Trumpet]

Aronofsky previously tackled onscreen drug addiction in Requiem for a Dream.

That scares me. Looking at the details, he seems to have little to do with writing, but he could transform this project to become his own. Normally that is good, but I still believe Arnofsky is a developing filmmaker. The Fountain was a huge leap for him in being able really use many tools for storytelling. He was more even handed in filmmaking than before.

His earlier films were hankered by how much he focused on filmmaking through one method. In Reqiuem for a Dream, he relied too much on having the camera positioned on the actor's body. It was to show the mental breakdown that drugs had on the characters as the film moved to their manic movements. It's just that the entire film seemed to be based on that viewpoint. It drained the film and destroyed any chance for the other effects from working. Basing an entire film from that viewpoint is an effect in itself.

This looks like a pick up job for Arnofsky to get personal projects financed, but it could be good development. It could get him to develop his arsenal of storytelling effects and be able to hone down telling stories better. I think he will do good work and will give this film a deeper touch. Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon look too much like movie stars in everything they do to make it an actor's film. The Fountain, while problematic, was a major development. This film should be a good continuation.

[MacGuffin]

Aronofsky in 'Fighter' shape for Paramount
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Darren Aronofsky is in final talks to helm Paramount Pictures' drama "The Fighter," which reteams "The Departed" stars Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon.

Based on the life of boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward (Wahlberg) and his trainer brother Dick Eklund (Damon), the story chronicles their early days on the rough streets of Lowell, Mass., through Eklund's battle with drugs and Ward's eventual world championship in London. Wahlberg and Damon both hail from Boston, and Aronofsky and Damon attended nearby Harvard University.

The film, with its conventional narrative, would mark a departure for Aronofsky, whose "Pi," "Requiem for a Dream" and "The Fountain" offered hallucinatory explorations of existential issues.

Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson penned the screenplay. Sources said Aronofsky is awaiting a Paul Attanasio rewrite before signing on.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aronofsky in talks to direct 'Fighter'
Paramount film stars Wahlberg, Damon
Source: Variety

Darren Aronofsky is in talks to direct Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon in boxing drama "The Fighter" for Paramount Pictures.

Pic would mark Aronofsky's second studio project. Sci-fi romancer "The Fountain" fell flat at the box office when Warner Bros. Pictures released it last fall.

Project is based on the rise of Boston boxer "Irish" Micky Ward, who nabbed the world lightweight title with the help of his once down-and-out half-brother Dicky, who became a trainer.

While Par would look for Aronofsky to turn in a pic with broad appeal, he isn't necessarily expected to take a traditional approach.

Mandeville's David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing.

Wahlberg and Damon are ready to commit to making "Fighter" their next movie if they like a rewrite that scribe Paul Attanasio is doing.

If the two thesps give their OK, lensing could begin in early summer in Massachusetts.

Attanasio, who will focus on the themes of brotherhood and redemption, is rewriting a draft by Lewis Collick, Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy.

Attanasio recently adapted John Steinbeck's "East of Eden" for Imagine.

Aronofsky's other directing credits are "Requiem for a Dream" and "Pi."

[picolas]

]It's just that the entire film seemed to be based on that viewpoint.

i think at the very most 10% of Requiem is the Snorricam. it's just used so perfectly that you tend to remember a lot of the movie that way.

[modage]

prague

hello friends. off to prague next week to do some writing.

been writing quite a bit. don't believe any of the hype of anything you've heard about future projects. i am about to commit to something and i'll let you all know what it is when it happens.

http://blog.myspace.com/darrenaronofsky

interesting.

[Bram]

Well, I thought it was really strange that Darren would do something more commercial to get some money in the bag. That just doesn't fit him, especially after reading that ginormous article on Wired.com, a few months back.

[pzyktzle]

imdb has him down as "in talks" for this.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0964517/

[Kal]

IMDb editors probably read Xixax and post things based on what we said... so its not a reliable source at all

[modage]

from EW...

The Departed's Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon can't seem to shake the Irish, Massachusetts, or each other.  They're in talks to star as real-life Lowell, Mass., boxer "Irish" Micky Ward (Wahlberg) and his trainer brother (Damon) in The Fighter.  Notes Damon: Director Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain) "is saying everything I, or any actor, would want to hear.  [Now] we're waiting for a script."

[Gamblour.]

"You were pretty ok in Good Will Hunting!"

[MacGuffin]

Wahlberg Ready To Rumble For Aronofsky's 'Fighter'
Source: MTV

It's set to be the hottest corner team in boxing: one Oscar winner, one Oscar nominee, and an eclectic, fan-favorite director. If everything goes according to plan, "The Fighter" will bring together all of those elements, teaming "Departed" co-stars Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg with helmer Darron Aronofsky for a gritty sporting epic.

Recent reports have labeled Aronofsky as being in final talks for the project, but according to Wahlberg, it sounds as if the "Requiem for a Dream" director is officially onboard and ready to move forward. "I talked to him on the phone two days ago," Wahlberg revealed to MTV News. "We're going to sit down with Matt and just figure out when we can start it."

"The Fighter" tells the true story of underdog boxing champ "Irish" Micky Ward (Wahlberg) and his trainer/brother Dick Eklund (Damon), following their lives from the rough-and-tumble streets of Lowell, Massachusetts to an internationally-herald bout at the world championships.

Wahlberg is adament that if they're going to make the movie, they'll do it the right way. "The whole thing is to make it look real," he said. "I want to do these guys justice. We don't want to do any over-the-top, unrealistic fight scenes."

For his part, the actor — who's also gearing up for M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening" — promises that "The Fighter" will envoke memories of an earlier boxing classic. "If it ain't gonna be like "Raging Bull," then it ain't worth doing," he exclaimed. "These guys, they have the story. Their lives are incredible. The things that they went through, and the things that they overcame and endured. It's one of those amazing stories that I hope I get an opportunity to tell in my career. It's going to be one of them gems."

[MacGuffin]

Brad Pitt laces up for 'Fighter'
Replaces Matt Damon in Paramount drama
Source: Variety

Brad Pitt is poised to star alongside Mark Wahlberg in "The Fighter," the Paramount Pictures drama about Boston boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward and his unlikely path to become world lightweight champion.

Darren Aronofsky is directing and Scott Silver ("8 Mile") is working on the current draft of the screenplay.

David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing through their Mandeville shingle.

Wahlberg is set to play Ward. Pitt is in talks to play Dicky Eklund, Mickey's half-brother and a talented fighter who once knocked Sugar Ray Leonard to the canvas and went the distance in a title fight against that boxing legend.

Pitt will replace Matt Damon, who had been looking forward to a reteam with Wahlberg, his co-star in "The Departed" and a fellow Bostonian. Damon just had too many projects on his dance card to make the film on the schedule Par wanted.

It's believed Damon gave his blessing to Pitt, his co-star in the "Ocean's Eleven" film series.

With the exception of Pitt, all of the pic's principals have Boston ties. Wahlberg hails from South Boston. Aronofsky graduated from Harvard, while Silver is from Massachusetts and went to Boston U.

Wahlberg has been vigorously training to get into shape for the ring. Paramount is aiming to get the film into production in fall 2008.

Dicky threw his gifts away on drugs and a robbery career that landed him a sentence of 10-15 years in state prison -- but he kicked drugs, became a model prisoner and turned his life around. When he left jail, he became Mickey's trainer at a time when Ward was losing fights and was ready to hang up his gloves. Together, the brothers found the spark that led to a remarkable string of victories for Ward and the world title.

Pitt next stars alongside Edward Norton in "State of Play," the Kevin Macdonald-directed adaptation of the Brit miniseries for Universal. He'll next be seen starring in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and recently wrapped "Benjamin Button." He's starring with George Clooney in the Coen brothers pic "Burn After Reading."

Aronofsky and Pitt nearly worked together previously on "The Fountain," but Pitt dropped out of the project. Aronofsky scaled down the film's budget and made the drama with Hugh Jackman in the starring role.

[Pubrick]

Dicky threw his gifts away on drugs and a robbery career that landed him a sentence of 10-15 years in state prison -- but he kicked drugs, became a model prisoner and turned his life around. When he left jail, he became Mickey's trainer at a time when Ward was losing fights and was ready to hang up his gloves. Together, the brothers found the spark that led to a remarkable string of victories for Ward and the world title.

that's a great story.

too bad pitt will pull out again.