Sylvester Stallone, Kim Bassinger and Robert De Niro star in ‘Grudge Match’.

Warner Brothers and Gerber Pictures have decided to bump director Peter Segal’s (Anger Management, Naked Gun 33 1/3, 50 First Dates) sports-comedy Grudge Match, starring Sylvester Stallone (Rocky, Rambo), Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook, Raging Bull), and Kevin Hart (This is the End, Think Like A Man) to an earlier, higher-profile date.

The film was originally scheduled for a January 10, 2014 debut, but the gut-buster is collecting some good buzz and is expected to do well with the holiday crowd. The script is a collaboration between an interesting selection of scribes. Doug Ellin (Entourage), Tim Kelleher (Inception, Independence Day), and Rodney Rothman (Get Him To The Geek) have been brought together to cover all bases for maximum  laughs and entertainment.

Grudge Match unites two of Hollywood’s most famous film boxers, Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa) and Robert De Niro (Jake LaMotta). Sly plays Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp, and Robert plays Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonner, fictional boxing rivals from the 1980’s who both left the  ring with some unfinished business. They meet in an office 30 years later to discuss a possible boxing computer game. The two exchange heated words and the confrontation quickly becomes physical. The feud is recorded via mobile phone and goes viral on Youtube. Boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart), sees an opportunity and makes them an offer to go back in the ring to settle the score. They agree, and the re-match becomes an HBO must-see event.

Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro and Kevin Hart in ‘Grudge Match’.

Alan Arkin (Argo), Jon Bernthal (Snitch), and Kim Bassinger (L.A. Confidential), also star.

Grudge Match is produced by Michael Ewing, Bill Gerber, Mark Steven Johnson, and Ravi D. Mehta. Look for it Christmas day.