Oscar winner Jamie Foxx is set to play former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson in an upcoming biopic written by Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street). Foxx formerly played the corner man for a champion fighter in Ali, and is now ready to take center stage for the Tyson flick.
In a recent interview Tyson stated that motion capture technology will be used to alter Foxx’s face to portray the boxer in the early stages of his career. He also mentioned that Martin Scorsese may be involved in the project, although there is no information as to whether he would serve as a producer or director.
In the same interview Tyson spoke of the difficulty in watching his mistakes play out on the screen in front of him. In addition to being one of the best heavyweights of all time, Tyson was also known for his belligerent personality and the now infamous ear-biting incident in his second fight with Evander Holyfield. Judging by his work on The Wolf of Wall Street, Winter’s script will probably not sugar coat the ugly aspects of Tyson’s life including his 1992 rape conviction.
With all his failures and triumphs, Tyson’s story is one of human struggle, both with himself and with his opponents in the ring. While the details of his life may be difficult to relate to for the average viewer, it is a story that is could resonate with moviegoers on an emotional level.
According to Tyson, filming is expected to begin in one year to 18 months.
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