Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Married (Maybe) Star Couple Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts Ready to Shoot Real Life “Rocky” Story

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Long time couple and parents of two boys Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts will shoot a movie together this fall. “The Bleeder” is the story of Chuck Wepner, the real life boxer who inspired Sylvester Stallone to make “Rocky.” The project was announced in 2011, but now casting notices have gone out for a mid fall shoot looking for actors to play Stallone and Muhammad Ali among others.

Wepner was known as “The Bayonne Bleeder”– as in Bayonne, New Jersey. His most famous fight was 15 rounds with Ali in 1975. Ali won in a technical knockout. But Wepner came close to being the Champ. After that he was involved in an autograph forgery scheme that almost sent him to prison.

The “Rocky” stories seem to be based largely on Wepner’s career. According to reports there was some kind of undisclosed settlement between Stallone and Wepner early on. Wepner is said to have actually read for a part in “Rocky II” but didn’t get the job. “Rocky III” is thought to be largely based on one of his fights.

Schreiber will co-produce with Mike Tollin. Philippe Falardeau, a Canadian, will direct. Screenplay is by Jeff Feurzeig, Jeff Stahl and Michael Cristofer.

Watts, by the way, will play Wepner’s second wife, Linda. It would be a cool story if anyone knew if Watts and Schreiber were actually married. I didn’t realize it was still a question mark. Schreiber appears this season in “Ray Donovan,” of course, and in the Oscar- buzzed movie “Spotlight.” Watts was like the MVP of this year’s Toronto Film Festival.

 

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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