Variety reported Wednesday that Terence Winter, writer and producer behind shows like Boardwalk Empire and The Sopranos, is throwing his proverbial hat into the literal boxing ring by writing a biopic on boxer Mike Tyson.
And a source told Variety that Tyson would be portrayed by none other than Jamie Foxx. The film is untitled as of yet.
Tyson’s been making his own comeback story in the cultural scene for the last few years, including his infamous cameo in The Hangover, the eponymous documentary Tyson by James Toback in 2008, the release of his one-man Broadway show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth and most recently of all, a bizarre turn as a cartoon detective on the upcoming TV show Mike Tyson Mysteries.
That still leaves plenty of territory for Winter to mine in his screenplay, be it his seedy complications with the law, his title fights with Lennox Lewis or Evander Holyfield or his stunning upset loss to Buster Douglas.
Foxx on the other hand is very interesting casting, He’s had success with the biopic in the form of Ray and played the corner man to the other greatest fighter ever in Michael Mann’s Ali. Foxx has just the right amount of exuberant and crazy to pull it off.
Winter meanwhile is busy at work producing an untitled ’70s rock film with Martin Scorsese for HBO. One wonders with this pedigree who might come on board to direct.