Caffeinated Clint
Update! : Deadline says Dreamworks has dropped “Southpaw”, the boxing project that would’ve teamed Eminem with director Antoine Fuqua.
“DreamWorks’ Stacey Snider, who worked closely with Eminem and his team on 8 Mile while she ran Universal, basically gave the project back to the filmmakers to set up elsewhere and that’s what they are trying to do. Maybe DreamWorks was concerned the market is crowded with brawler films after The Fighter and the upcoming Gavin O’Connor-directed mixed martial arts drama Warrior, or maybe the studio’s cautious after its big bet on Cowboys & Aliens didn’t pay off. (I’m sure it’s coincidence that Snider once unplugged the Fuqua-directed version of American Gangster before putting the picture back together with Ridley Scott). But given the appetite of a crop of distributors looking for wide release product, I’d be surprised if this one, which is fully packaged, doesn’t get off the canvas quickly”
Eminem’s sophmore effort “Southpaw”, a drama about a boxing champ who returns to the ring after a tragedy, looks to have secured the services of Antoine Fuqua. The “Training Day” and “Tears of the Sun” will direct a picture that’s only really inched forward because of the success of the similiar-themed “The Fighter”.
Kurt Sutter wrote the script for the pic, which is looking to shoot in the Fall, according to THR.
I loved Eminem’s first flick, “8 Mile”. I don’t think anyone can fault the rapper cum actor’s performance in that movie – it was raw, real and raptastic. His performance there – some may say it’s all in his sorrowful eyes – is unbelievable. He surprises the sceptics with his honest, regretful and credible performance as the small fry with a heart of gold who gets his moment.
And that film was great too. Curtis Hanson’s “Mile” actually resembles the original ”Rocky”: The beginning scenes, middle and ‘battle of the rappers’ finale bears much resemble to Stallone’s landmark hit, although it’s microphones here that are the weapon, not fists. And like “Rocky”, it’s an extremely well written tale, and by its end you’ll be well and truly taken with its ostensible underdog.
Look forward to seeing how Eminem fares as a boxer.
