Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta, together at last.
“Rocky” bruiser Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro – who won an Oscar for playing boxer LaMotta in the classic Martin Scorsese drama “Raging Bull” – have officially signed on for Warner Bros.’ new boxing comedy “Grudge Match,” which will see the actors facing off as two retired boxers coerced back into the ring for one final matchup. Joining them in the film will be actor/comedian Kevin Hart (“Think Like a Man”), who has come aboard to play the fight promoter responsible for instigating the bout.
The film, which according to Deadline has officially received a greenlight from the studio, will be directed by Peter Segal (“Get Smart,” “The Longest Yard”) from a script by Doug Ellin, who took over from previous screenwriter Tim Kelleher. Earlier reports indicated the film would begin shooting early next year, though it’s unclear where that stands now.
De Niro will next be seen in this fall’s buzzy Oscar contender “Silver Linings Playbook” (November 21) opposite Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. Stallone, meanwhile, has two action films – hitman thriller “Bullet to the Head” and “The Tomb” co-starring Arnold Schwarzenegger – slated for release in 2013.
Does “Grudge Match” sound like something you’d like to see? Let us know in the comments.