THE FIGHTER Begins Production

By Norm Schrager at July 13, 2009 | 10:35 pm | Print

“Irish” Micky Ward is a fighter, both figuratively and literally. The Massachusetts boxer, known as the quintessential badass blue-collar hero, is the focus of director David O. Russell’s The Fighter, which has just begun shooting in Ward’s hometown of Lowell, Mass. Stars Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale had been touring Lowell in May to prepare for the real-life roles.

Wahlberg stars as Ward (impeccable casting) and Bale as his troubled half-brother Dicky Ecklund. Ward’s story includes a handful of years in which he planned to hang up the gloves… only to come steaming back like a machine.

This is the third feature pairing Russell — trigger for the now-infamous Lily Tomlin tirade, hee hee — and Wahlberg.  They first worked together on the superb Three Kings in 1999 and then on Russell’s 2004 messy metaphysics film I Heart Huckabees.

While any boxing fan should be excited by the Micky Ward story heading for the big screen, especially with Wahlberg wearing the gloves, there’s a bizarre timing to the production start for The Fighter: Arturo Gatti, Ward’s most intense rival, was found dead in Brazil on Saturday morning, allegedly strangled. The former champ was 37.

Ward and Gatti fought what’s considered to be one of the greatest fight trilogies in the history of the sweet science. To honor Gatti’s life, HBO will televise the entire three-fight series July 17-18.

On a lighter note… Lobby reader Monique sent us the link to BeinaMovie.com, and their invitation for extras. I’ve never seen a website so giddy about extra work, probably because it’s generally boring as hell. I’m sure I’ll visit them again…

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