‘Cus and Mike’ | Anthony Hopkins Stars as Mike Tyson’s Trainer

[Pennywise]

Anthony Hopkins To Star As Mike Tyson’s Legendary Trainer Cus D’Amato – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: In an intriguing Berlin EFM addition, Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins has been set to star in Cus And Mike, the story of Mike Tyson’s legendary trainer Cus D’Amato and how he moulded the fighter into becoming the youngest heavyweight title winner ever and one of the most ferocious boxers of his generation.

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.

XYZ Films and Patriot are handling world sales at the EFM in Berlin and are aiming to shoot in spring/summer 2020.

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 and José Torres. He has long been the source of film interest. Martin Scorsese and Jamie Foxx were trying to thrash out a movie version of the coach-boxer story and Bruce Willis was attached to another biopic. George C. Scott portrayed him in the 1995 HBO 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…”

Financier-producer Mendelsohn commented, “Sir Anthony Hopkins – consummate, other worldly professional…a gift. Nick Cassavetes a true boxing film visionary, talented writer/director, and a friend… a dream come true. Thank you, gentleman.”

 

[Schlosser85]

That's random.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

That's random.

Ironic too on a meta level.

Hannibal Lecter teaching Mike Tyson how to box. Now we know why he bit Holyfield's ear.

 

[Schlosser85]

Ironic too on a meta level.

Hannibal Lecter teaching Mike Tyson how to box. Now we know why he bit Holyfield's ear.

I hadn't thought of that

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I think this is a story worth telling (Hopefully warts and all. I have a strange nostalgic place in my heart foor Mike too... But before, during and after his reign as THE MAN in boxing he was not just some innocent caught in the headlights of fame...)

That said... Am I the only one that finds Hopkins' American accents too off? Now he's playing a New Yawker? So... Double the difficulty?

 

[Schlosser85]

I think this is a story worth telling (Hopefully warts and all. I have a strange nostalgic place in my heart foor Mike too... But before, during and after his reign as THE MAN in boxing he was not just some innocent caught in the headlights of fame...)

That said... Am I the only one that finds Hopkins' American accents too off? Now he's playing a New Yawker? So... Double the difficulty?

Hopkins isn't good with accents.

 

[Black Narcissus]

I think this is a story worth telling (Hopefully warts and all. I have a strange nostalgic place in my heart foor Mike too... But before, during and after his reign as THE MAN in boxing he was not just some innocent caught in the headlights of fame...)

That said... Am I the only one that finds Hopkins' American accents too off? Now he's playing a New Yawker? So... Double the difficulty?

But couldn't his story be told in an actual TYSON movie tho? Mike's story to the top is basically an oscar winning role with the right actor. Eh, this feels like we going to see Tyson through his eyes, which makes sense, but I'm not interested to be honest. 15 year old Mike was knocking out grown men trying to survive. It kinda seems like wasted material if used here first, eh..who knows. At first glance, this ain't for me.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

But couldn't his story be told in an actual TYSON movie tho? Mike's story to the top is basically an oscar winning role with the right actor. Eh, this feels like we going to see Tyson through his eyes, which makes sense, but I'm not interested to be honest. 15 year old Mike was knocking out grown men trying to survive. It kinda seems like wasted material if used here first, eh..who knows. At first glance, this ain't for me.

Cus was a huge part of Mike's rise though. In a Tyson film proper he'd still loom very large to the point I think of being like a co-lead character, at least until he died in the story.

Also... Let's be honest, a totally Mike centric film is probably a harder sell to money men in Hollywood.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Cus was a huge part of Mike's rise though. In a Tyson film proper he'd still loom very large to the point I think of being like a co-lead character, at least until he died in the story.

Also... Let's be honest, a totally Mike centric film is probably a harder sell to money men in Hollywood.

Jamie Foxx was working on a Tyson flick with Scorsese attached somehow.

 

[Pennywise]

Ironic too on a meta level.

Hannibal Lecter teaching Mike Tyson how to box. Now we know why he bit Holyfield's ear.