Director Jeff Feuerzeig has hired Liev Schreiber to play legendary New Jersey heavyweight fighter Chuck Wepner in a biopic entitled The Bleeder.
Wepner got his start boxing as a U.S. Marine before turning pro. Never finding the right combination of talent and success, he wasn't able to achieve real fame and fortune, yet he earned the nickname "The Bayonne Bleeder" for some of his more serious injuries. His big opportunity came in a match against Muhammad Ali for the World's Heavyweight title. The Louisville Lip won in the 15th round, but Wepner's hurt would be Sylvester Stallone's gain as Sly watched that fight on TV and was inspired to write a movie about a certain underdog boxer who gets his shot at the big time. You might have heard of the character: Rocky Balboa.
The Bleeder will co-star Schreiber's real-life other half, Naomi Watts, as well as Mad Men's Christina Hendricks. Maybe someone can convince Will Smith to reprise his Oscar nominated portrayal of "The Greatest" and step into the ring again?
[Via Monsters And Critics]
