There’s been many leaked photos from the set of this one, but now new photos and video — and fairly exceptionally good ones too — of David O. Russell’s “The Fighter” starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo have found their way online.
We’ve written about this one a lot, but in case you’ve forgotten, the film centers on the early years of real-life Boston-based middleweight boxer “Irish” Micky Ward (Wahlberg) and his reformed, ex-addict/convict, former boxing champion brother (an emaciated Christian Bale) who helped train him before going pro in the mid ’80s.
This project is perhaps most famous for its many incarnations and long shelf-life. Originally it was scheduled to star Matt Damon in the lead role with Brad Pitt as the fallen boxing brother, who redeems himself by training his younger sibling to boxing gold. Then Damon dropped out and Wahlberg stepped up to fill his shoes. Almost a year later, Pitt exited the film as well. All the while this was a project shepherded by Darren Aronofsky, but he surprisingly left the picture earlier this year and David O. Russell took over in April.
We wrote a lengthy and detailed script review late last year and pretty much loved the screenplay, but, initially, we were pretty shocked to see O. Russell at the helm, until we realized he did already direct Wahlberg quite well in “Three Kings.” And the Boston actor may have been instrumental in getting the notoriously mercurial director on board- by the time Aronofsky left, no real talent had interest in the project. And once Wahlberg signed up he showed his dedication by training for the project for about two years. He was likely the driving force behind this one in the end.
Amy Adams stars as Wahlberg’s girlfriend, Leo plays the brothers’ ridden hard and put away wet mother and our Boston pal Alison Folland will play Wahlberg’s ex in a smaller role.
“The Fighter” is set for release sometime in 2010. [/film via IamRogue.]
Is that Christian Bale… smiling?
So this marks his third weightloss role after The Machinist and Rescue Dawn…I'm still waiting for him to get fat for a role. That's what Oscar really loves!
Well he did get a bit chubby just before "Batman Begins," but managed to slim down enough to fit into the bat suit. It's amazing how he continually does this to his body, talk about dedication. Yeah, he's so overdue for an Oscar it's not even funny!