Mixed martial arts franchise One Championship has come on board “The Beast in Me,” a sports action film starring Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson (“Land of Bad,” “Foundation”).
In the film, MacPherson plays an out-of-work former MMA fighter who suffers a personal tragedy involving his brother. With the help of a veteran trainer played by Crowe, he sets out to avenge his brother by coming out of retirement to compete in One Championship.
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The film is produced by the U.S.-based Broken Open Pictures and is to be directed by Tyler Atkins (writer-director of “Ocean Boy”). International rights to the film are represented by the Los Angeles-based Solution Entertainment Group.
Production is set to begin later this year and extend into early 2025. Among the locations will be Bangkok, Thailand’s Impact Arena, where One’s Friday Fights live event on Jan. 24 will be the setting for a key scene. Additional footage for the movie is expected to be gathered throughout One’s fight week.
One, which will take a production partner/ consultant credit, confirmed that Crowe will be in Bangkok for the scene. So too will the company’s chairman and larger than life CEO Chatri Sityodtong, albeit portraying an executive, rather than reverting to his former role as a grappler.
Crowe co-wrote the script with David Frigero, who will produce alongside Tim O’Hair and John Schwarz. Shane Abbess and Brett Thornquest will executive produce.
“With access to One’s vast network of athletes and events, we are poised to deliver an exhilarating cinematic experience that reflects the true heart of martial arts,” Frigero said.
Sityodtong added, “I am thrilled to be partnering with the star-studded cast and production team behind ‘The Beast in Me.’ I am confident One is the best platform to help tell their story of grit, perseverance and determination. We cannot wait to host their entire team in Bangkok at a One Friday Fights fight week in January.”
Previously Singapore-based, One was founded in 2011 and organizes and promotes fights in MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing and other formats. These are carried via its own apps, YouTube and a mesh of international broadcasters, including Prime Video and beIN Sports in some territories. During the pandemic, it also branched out into reality TV with the production of 13-episode “The Apprentice: One Championship Edition.”
Crowe visited Thailand for the first time in late 2021 for the production of Peter Farrelly’s film “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” and, freshly out of locked-down Australia, gleefully took on an unofficial role as tourism promotion officer. While in Bangkok, he made a splash interviewing candidates for the job of city mayor, meeting with the minister of culture, visiting a Michelin-starred street-kitchen and making copious social media postings.
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