Ding ding! Round two… Back in October 2010, word first broke that Get Smart’s Peter Segal was developing boxing comedy Grudge Match for Warners. At the time, we knew the studio was itching to cast Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro as the past-their-prime pugilists. Things have been quiet since then, but now The Wrap reports that the pair is in official talks to co-star.
In the time between the original announcement and now, the movie hasn’t been totally dormant. The script, originally written by Tim Kelleher, has since been polished by at least one other scribe, including Entourage creator Doug Ellin.
In case it wasn’t clear just from the title, Grudge Match will see two retired boxers, lifelong rivals, who are tempted back into the ring for one last bout.
No deals have been signed yet, and there’s always a chance that the old scheduling monster could rise from its pit of burning diary pages to ruin the chances of Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta staggering into the ring to trade blows. Frankly, given their respective levels of fitness, our money’s on Sly winning.
With Segal also looking to get Vin Diesel action comedy The Machine before cameras, we’d expect Grudge Match to shoot no earlier than next year, assuming it doesn’t vanish back into the shadows of development. Return to your corners, everyone…