The Patriot Pictures film, which is set to be a character study as well as a sports-biopic, will be directed and written by The Notebook and John Q filmmaker Nick Cassavetes, based on the original screenplay by Desmond Nakano, and the book Mike Tyson: Money, Myth, and Betrayal by Montieth Illingworth.
The film will chart how the tough but brilliant D’Amato became a father-figure to the wayward adolescent Tyson who would go on to become the revered fighter and then a figure of controversy. The search for the young Tyson is underway.
D’Amato, who died in 1985, also trained Floyd Patterson & José Torres. He's long been the source of film interest. Martin Scorsese & Jamie Foxx tried to thrash out a movie version of the coach-boxer story & Bruce Willis was attached to another. George C. Scott portrayed him in HBO's movie Tyson.
Five-time Oscar nominee Hopkins is coming off raved-about performances in The Two Popes and Sundance title The Father.
Producing on the film are Michael Mendelsohn (Synchronic) from Patriot Pictures, and Jim Steele (Running With The Devil). Mendelsohn’s Union Patriot Capital Management is fully financing. Natalie Perrotta, and Todd Smith will be executive producing.
Cassavetes said about the film, “This is an absolute dream scenario for me. An opportunity to work with Sir Anthony in a movie about two of my all-time heroes, Cus D’Amato and Mike Tyson, the most ferocious (and my favorite) fighter who ever lived? In a story about father figures that disappear too soon? I’m in heaven. So happy that my first film with Mike Mendelsohn and Patriot Pictures is this one. It should be one for the ages…”
