Hi, I’m Devin Faraci, and I’m the guy who is always saying how good an actor Channing Tatum could be if he was given the right roles, despite his Tiger Beat image. This kid is the goods*.
Now Tatum is reteaming with the director who got the most out of him, Dito Montiel. Dito wrote the book upon which A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints was based, and that film was his directorial debut. There were some issues with the movie, but I think Montiel came out the gate strong, and I’m excited to see what he has up his sleeve next. Which, it turns out, is Fight Club.
Well, not exactly Fight Club, but close. According to a press release from Rogue:
The untitled new film is a rough-hewn heroic tale about realizing dreams of glory, putting audiences ringside at high-stakes underground street fights. Tatum (who also starred last year in the sleeper hit Step Up) will star as Sean Arthur, a young man who scrapes up a living scalping tickets in NYC. With family tragedy in his past and his father keeping him at a distance, this outsider has little to motivate him. A chance encounter with a veteran street-fighting coach leads to a whole new career for Sean. The ensuing bouts get tough, especially with the criminal element horning in, so Sean gets tougher. He will fight to win, not only the prize money but also the unexpected new relationships that are strengthening him.
Montiel has written the latest draft of the screenplay. Senior vice president of production Adrienne Biddle will oversee the project for Rogue. Shooting will begin on location in NYC in September.
Between this and Mamet’s Redbelt we may be entering a golden age for intellectual takes on bare knuckle brawling! Where’s Norman Mailer???
*Also the goods: Chris Evans. Someone give this guy a real role, please?