Oyelowo cast as boxing legend.
British actor David Oyelowo (‘The Butler,’ ‘The Paperboy’) has closed a deal to portray iconic boxer Sugar Ray Robinson in a biopic based on Wil Haygood’s biography ‘Sweet Thunder: The Life And Times Of Sugar Ray Robinson.’
The film will chronicle Robinson’s rise to greatness with an emphasis on his early career when he refused to get involved with organized crime and throw fights. The film will show how the boxer helped make it a more legitimate sport by exposing that seedy underbelly of the business.
‘Moneyball’ producer Rachael Horovitz and actor-turned-screenwriter Danny Strong (‘The Butler,’ ‘Game Change’) will serve as producers. A director has yet to be found.