I Heart Huckabees

Some big news has hit courtesy of Variety tonight. Christian Bale has joined the project The Fighter in the role of Dicky Eklund, the half-bother of Boston boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward, to still be played by Mark Wahlberg. Matt Damon was originally cast in the role of Eklund, then Brad Pitt replaced him at one point, and now it has ended up in Bale's lap. Additionally, The Wrestler director Darren Aronofsky was originally setup to direct this, however he has since moved on and been replaced by David O. Russell, of Flirting with Disaster, Three Kings, and I Heart Huckabees previously, as well as the disastrous project Nailed. The Fighter follows the true story of Mickey Ward and how he went on to win the lightweight championship with the help of Dicky. Eklund once fought Sugar Ray Leonard and nearly went the distance against the boxing legend before forfeiting his
Alex Billington

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Christian Bale has signed on to star alongside Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter, a film that has been stuck in development hell for the last few years. Darren Aronofsky is no longer attached to direct. David O. Russell, who worked with Wahlberg on Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees, is now at the helm. The film tells the story of Boston fighter "Irish" Mickey Ward and how he was helped to the world lightweight championship by half-brother Dicky Eklund. Eklund once decked Sugar Ray Leonard and went the distance against the boxing legend before forfeiting his career to drugs and crime. He redeemed himself by training Ward through his Rocky-like run to the title. Wahlberg will play Ward, a fighter who was losing bouts and was ready to hang up the gloves when his brother came back into his life. Bale will play Eklund, whose drugs and robbery spree drew
James Cook

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Variety is reporting what comes as a rather large bit of casting and director replacement news as we find out Christian Bale is set to star with Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter, but not for Darren Aronofsky as originally lined up, but for David O. Russell. Aronofsky had been attached to direct the pic for some time and even said it was still in the works when I interviewed him back in December, but it appears he just couldn't get it to his liking and moved on. Aronofsky had eyed both Matt Damon and Brad Pitt for the role Bale now occupies. Now, Russell will take the helm in a film that will tonally be more like his Three Kings than I Heart Huckabees, I presume, as the story centers on boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's (Wahlberg) unlikely road to the world lightweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother
Brad Brevet

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