Back in July, we reported thatactorJamie Foxxsigned on to star in Paramount’sUntitled Mike Tyson Biopic, withBoardwalk EmpirecreatorTerence Wintersigning on to write the screenplay. We haven’t heard anything about this biopic since then, but during a radio interview with Power 105’s The Breakfast Club,Jamie Foxxrevealed thatMartin Scorsesehas come aboard to direct. Take a look at what the actor had to say below.
“I just went in with Paramount withMike Tyson. So I’m going to do theMike Tysonstory. Listen, to be in the same room pitchingMike Tysonto Paramount,Mike Tysonis on one side, I’m on the other side and doingMike Tysonat the same time. AndMartin Scorseseat the helm. This will be the first boxing movie thatMartin Scorsesehas done sinceRaging Bull.”
Paramount has yet to confirm the news, but if it’s true, this would reuniteMartin Scorsesewith hisThe Wolf of Wall StreetscreenwriterTerence Winter.Mike Tysonhimself teased in a July 2014 interview withIGNthatMartin Scorsesewill be involved, and that they plan to use the same performance capture techniques fromThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button, that would allowJamie Foxxto play Iron Mike from the early stages of his career to present day.
In 1987, at just 20 years of age,Mike Tysonbecame the youngest undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing history. He successfully defended his titles nine times until he suffered a shocking knockout loss at the hands of James “Buster” Douglas in 1990. The boxer was convicted of rape in 1992 and was sentenced to serve six years in prison, but he was released after only three years. He managed to retain his WBA and WBC titles in 1996, but he was stripped of his WBC title and lost the WBA belt to Evander Holyfield in November 1996. Their 1997 rematch was marred with controversy, afterMike Tysonbit a portion of Evander Holyfield’s ear off.Mike Tysonretired with a professional record of 50 wins (44 by knockout), six losses and two no-contests. Michael Jai White previously portrayed the boxer in the 1995 HBO biopic Tyson. Take a look atJamie Foxx’s radio interview below, with theMike Tysonportion coming at the 8:15 mark.
