The Training Day director will be looking for another studio collaborator in making the self-described metaphorical boxing drama from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter. The project is fully packaged and production was expected to begin in January.
While the situation of Dreamworks dropping the project is an obstacle to the project, it's state of development puts it in a good place to to regain ground as Antoine Fuqua and Kurt Sutter search for a new place at which to set it up anew. There is no official reason as of yet as to why the film was let go.
Antoine Fuqua (Shooter, King Arthur) left his anticipated Tupac Shakur biopic with plans to helm Southpaw instead. The film has Grammy Award winning hip hop icon Eminem attached to star as a welterweight boxer overcoming tragedy and hardships to regain a title. Southpaw is aiming to begin shooting later this year and will be Eminem's first lead role since 8 Mile.
Kurt Sutter's writing credentials are immense with a resume including both The Shield and his creator owned property Sons of Anarchy.Sutter wrote the film based on Mathers' personal life and his comeback album 'Recovery' receiving massive critical acclaim. "(Eminem) shared so much of his personal struggle in this raw and very honest album, one that I connected with on a lot of levels. He is very interested in the boxing genre, and it seemed like an apt metaphor, because his own life has been a brawl," said Sutter.
