Bale Joins Wahlberg on The Fighter

“The Fighter”, based on a true story, was supposed to be a boxing movie from Darren Aronofsky, starring Mark Wahlberg and Brad Pitt. That was a while ago. The film has stalled, and Aronofsky eventually traded in boxing gloves for very, very tight shorts ala “The Wrestler”, leaving “The Fighter” without a director. Eventually a replacement emerged: David O. Russell of “Three Kings” fame. Wahlberg is still slated to star as a boxer on the Rocky circuit, while Christian Bale has now stepped into the Pitt role as Wahlberg’s trainer.

According to Variety, Wahlberg would play a Boston fighter name “Irish” Mickey Ward, who with the helped of his older half-brother Dicky Eklund (Bale) eventually became the world lightweight champion. Although he never attained greatness, Edlund’s claim to fame is that he once took out the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard, while Ward is an ex-con who redeems himself through boxing after a stint in prison for robbery.

Expect a lot of heart wrenching male bonding moments, preferably followed by Bale throwing F-bombs at Wahlberg. Okay, maybe not the last part. Probably.

Relativity Media will front the cash, and production on “The Fighter” is expected to commence in July. That is, if no one drops out until then.

Below: Mark Wahlberg and the real Irish Micky Ward.