Soderbergh to direct MMA’s Gina Carano in ‘Knockout’

MMA continues to take Hollywood by storm. Variety reports that Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh’s next film will be a spy thriller starring Muay Thai-trained MMA fighter Gina Carano in her debut as a leading lady. She currently has a supporting role in Michael Jai White’s upcoming martial arts actioner BLOOD AND BONE.

Soderbergh’s KNOCKOUT is being described as a pure actioner comparable to LA FEMME NIKITA, KILL BILL and the James Bond franchise. Scripted by THE LIMEY writer Lem Dobbs, the globetrotting film will put Carano into the role of a woman from the wrong side of the tracks, who is given a second chance to use her skills for constructive purposes.

Relativity Media, co-producers of THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM and FIGHTING, will fully finance the film with Soderbergh’s longtime partner Gregory Jacobs producing.

Carano recently made headlines when she took on Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos on August 15 in what became one of the most anticipated MMA fights of the year. Carano lost, making it her first defeat after seven consecutive wins.

Given Carano’s competitive skills, the growing popularity of MMA in Hollywood and the fighter’s “knockout” looks, it was practically a given that she would be offered a lead film role. With Soderbergh directing what will be a mainstream actioner, this film has big potential, as does the future of action cinema now that a real fighter is being cast in a mainstream lead action role.

Here’s a little visual introduction to Gina Carano for your enjoyment.

Source: Variety

Tags: Gina Carano, Knockout (2010), MMA, upcoming