Nick Nolte has been picked by Lionsgate and writer-director Gavin O’Connor to head a cast including Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Morrison in WARRIOR, a drama set in the world of mixed martial arts.
Nolte plays an ex-Vietnam veteran boxer-turned-steel mill worker whose family was torn apart by alcoholism. The now-sober and remorseful dad welcomes back his youngest son (Hardy) and trains him to compete in an MMA tournament. He and his older brother (Edgerton) are on a collision course in the ring.
The film’s script was co-written by Anthony Tambakis. O’Conner will produce with his brother Greg O’Conner.
A buffed up Tom Hardy is currently making waves for his starring turn in Nicolas Winding Refn’s BRONSON, a colorful account on the life of Michael “Charlie Bronson” Petersen, one of Britain’s most notorious career prisoners.
Hardy left absolutely no impression on me back in 2002 when he played the lead villain in STAR TREK: NEMESIS but since then he has been making more interesting career choices that include roles in LAYER CAKE and ROCKNROLLA.
Gavin O’Conner is on the rise as a filmmaker. His most recent film was the gritty police drama PRIDE AND GLORY starring Colin Ferrell and Ed Norton. Nolte had originally been picked to star in that film but bowed out due to knee problems and was replaced by Jon Voight.
What I find interesting about this news is that MMA is very quickly going from a B-movie or indie topic to mainstream fare. With better production values and storytelling, films like REDBELT and NEVER BACK DOWN have laid the groundwork for MMA drama to find a much wider audience.
On a broader level there is a need to fill a gap in Hollywood. Boxing dramas are played out. The sword and sandal revival has turned into an unintended parody since 300. Asian martial arts action is fading back into a niche outside of Asia with its two biggest stars, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, transitioning out of the genre. Yet there is still a need to see the drama and excitement that surrounds a physical contest between trained fighters. Asian territories will always have their indigenous martial arts to fall back on. For America, mixed martial arts may become the central staging ground for screen fighting drama in the 21st century.
Source: Variety
Related Topics:MMA • Nick Nolte • Tom Hardy • upcoming
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