Actor Mark Wahlberg wants to film a sequel to “The Fighter”. The Oscar-winning boxing drama was released in late 2010 and is based on the life of retired junior welterweight contender “Irish” Mickey Ward. [See Movie Review]
According to Digital Spy, Wahlberg hopes to film “The Fighter 2” by 2013 although it’s unclear whether Christian Bale (of Batman fame) would reprise his supporting role as Dicky Eklund, Ward’s dysfunctional half-brother and trainer. “We got to do that film before I get too old,” Wahlberg said. “So maybe in the next year, year and a half. We have to wait for the script, and then we’ll choose a director.”
In 2010, The Fighter earned high praise from both critics and film audiences. Nearly 9 out of 10 moviegoers liked the movie, according to RottenTomatoes.com. The sequel would center on Ward’s brutal clashes with the late Arturo Gatti.
The three Ward-Gatti bouts took place in the early 2000s and is considered as one of the most memorable trilogies in boxing history. Ward-Gatti I was hailed as the “Fight of the Century” by boxing pundits, and Round 9 of that bout was called “The Round of the Century” by one HBO commentator. Ring Magazine named Ward-Gatti I the Fight of the Year for 2002.
For now, Wahlberg is focused on filming his new movie alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson entitled “Pain and Gain”. Movie buffs who missed watching The Fighter can order it on DVD and blu-ray on Amazon.com.
