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Gavin O'Connor Finds a Cast for His MMA Drama Warrior

by Alex Billington
March 9, 2009

Last year we exclusively revealed early details on a project that director Gavin O'Connor (Miracle, Pride and Glory) had in the works called Warrior, a drama set in the world of mixed martial arts. The story is about a family and two brothers, and O'Connor has finally found his cast. Warrior will be headlined by Nick Nolte, who will play the estranged father. Playing his youngest son is Tom Hardy (who played Charles Bronson in Bronson) and playing the older son is up-and-coming Australian actor Joel Edgerton. Also joining the cast is Jennifer Morrison. Production will begin this April in Pittsburgh for a 2010 release.

Nolte will play an ex-Vietnam vet boxer-turned-steel mill worker whose family was torn apart by his alcoholism; the now-sober and remorseful dad welcomes back his youngest son (Hardy) and trains him to compete in a MMA tournament. He and his older brother (Edgerton), who still remains estranged, end up on a collision course in the ring. The script was written by Gavin O'Connor and newcomer Anthony Tambakis. We should mention that O'Connor does have some past experience with mixed martial arts, as he directed the documentary Smashing Machine about fighter Mark Kerr and the early days of the UFC.

While I'm not particularly a fan of Nolte, I'm already loving this cast and the story in the film, and I can't wait to actually see it come together. Maybe this will finally be the project where O'Connor proves he's a capable director again, since Pride and Glory was a very dull and boring waste of time. Interested?

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Tom W

any martial arts movie without Jackie Chan is not going to work
http://www.youtube.com/snears Nick Sears

You're joking right, Tom? Or are you basing that off of the previous post? I'd say that although MMA is the solid foundation of UFC, that sport is the furthest area of expertise for Jackie Chan.
Richard

For some reason they haven't been able to pull off a good MMA story like they have good Karate/Boxing stories, I don't know why, I guess who knows, maybe if its more like the wrestler or something it might be good.
Stylist Mick

Replacing "cops" with "mma fighters" and you essentially have a redux of the awful Pride and Glory.
Colca

Red Belt was an awesome MMA movie. This sounds pretty good too. Nolte is always interesting, and I've been waiting a long time for both Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton to get their big break. I thought Edgerton stole the show in The Hard Word.
Nick Nolte

How can one not be a fan of Nick Nolte?
Tom W

calm down bro it was a joke sorry i offended your mastery knowledge of MMA or whatever you think
http://youtube.com/snears Nick Sears

Yeah it was early in the morning - online text has no form of sarcasm at that hour, no matter how I read it
http://cinemabeacon.blogspot.com/ Nekrosoma

Looks to me like pathetic attempt to recreate the success of the Wrestler. And it's pathetic because The Wrestler didn't have any commercial success, only critical. Is Nick Nolte trying to win an Oscar? He's got better chances for Razzie.
Tom W

oh no problem man i was just like wow this guy is serious about mma but i see now
http://www.coffeerama.com coffee maker

judging by the previews, it looks like Tom Hardy does an awesome job as Bronson
balogna tits

Both of you shutup and get a life and stop arguing on this site u retards. Get layed for once in your life. This movie is gonna be sick cause im an extra in it.
post gal

Oh you are all in for such great surprise! This is Gavin's best work to date!