Dreamworks Pulls the Plug on Eminem's Boxing Movie 'Southpaw'?

In a surprising turn of events and without any real explanation Dreamworks has dropped the boxing drama Southpaw , which Eminem was slated to star in.  Now writer Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy) and attached director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) are expected to shop the project elsewhere for distribution.

The Deadline article indicated the studio might be opting to play it safe with future projects since the less than stellar performance of Cowboys & Aliens, and/or it's possible too many fight films are being made.

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Eminem's New Boxing Movie 'Southpaw' Closing in on Antoine Fuqua to Direct

Hip-hop's most popular and controversial star, Eminem is heading back to the silver screen as the lead in a new boxing movie called Southpaw written by Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter.  The LA Times blog reported today that Dreamworks is close to a deal with Training Day director Antoine Fuqua to helm this project that centers around a welterweight boxer, who is trying to return championship form after a personal tragedy.

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Bruce Willis, Antoine Fuqua Raid 'The Tomb'

Does Bruce Willis need to work this much? Seems like he's diluting his impact by showing up in seven or eight action movies a year. I've always been partial to him, but slow down. Do a heavy drama now and then. Put down the gun.

Willis is signing up to star in the prison break flick, The Tomb, according to Filmofilia. The worst news is that he's re-teaming with director Antoine Fuqua, Willis' director on the awful Tears of the Sun. That's the plan, anyway. Summit is reportedly trying to get this one going soon. While it would be great for Willis to change it up a little bit, this does sound like a good role for him. Willis would play, "the world’s foremost authority on structural security. After analyzing every high security prison and learning a vast array of survival skills so he can design escape-proof prisons, his skills are put to the test."

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Movie Review - 'Brooklyn's Finest'

Brooklyn's Finest Starring Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, and Don Cheadle Directed by Antoine Fuqua Rated R

Finding the way out depends on where you're standing. The three cops in Brooklyn's Finest are each face to face with a situation they can't wait to escape: One feels he has nothing left to live for, another every reason to bend the rules for his family, and the third just wants his old life back after years undercover and under the gun. Each man has different stakes, and each one of their actions carry their own consequences. But the desperation, that need to get out, is etched on their embattled faces. Eddie Dugan (Richard Gere) has a week left on the job, and yet he can't find the will to break his morning ritual of a shot of whiskey and the muzzle of a revolver in his mouth. His wife's moved out, the world's moved on, and Eddie just wants to keep his head down for seven more days. And then, well, he's out. And that's that. After years of being undercover as part of one of Brooklyn's most ruthless drug gangs, Tango (Don Cheadle) sees a promotion and a desk job in his future, but when? As it often happens in the movies, he has one more hurdle to overcome first, the dangling carrot held over a cliff. And with his family growing faster and faster, far outstripping his ability to take care of them, the way out for Sal (Ethan Hawke) may actually get him deeper in. There's a lot of dirty drug money flowing through Brooklyn and as Sal says, he hasn't gotten a raise in four years. Why should seized drug money go to the city's excess fund to buy some government official a new mahogany desk and a Persian rug, Sal asks. He has twins on the way and three more mouths to feed on top of it. Tough to do that on an honest cop's salary.

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Trailer - Gere, Hawke, Cheadle Are 'Brooklyn's Finest'

At long last, Antoine Fuqua's Brooklyn's Finest will finally hit theaters early next year. It was originally going to be an early fall 2009 release, I believe, but by the time it gets here, it will be nearly two years after the film went into production.

Don't pin it on the film itself, however. Brooklyn's Finest was one of several independently produced movies picked up by Senator Distribution. That company didn't last very long, and in fact, the biggest release it had during its very short run was last year's The Informers. It bombed, the company couldn't raise money to market the rest of its 2009 schedule, and just like that, this film and a few others had to start the distribution marathon from scratch. Senator acquired this property at Sundance in January, and by June, it was more or less out of business. But Overture pulled this one out of the ashes, and is releasing the cop drama on March 5th. Because it probably didn't spend a lot to get the film, I'm not sure Overture will break the bank supporting it opposite Alice in Wonderland and sandwiched between Shutter Island and The Green Zone. There is probably hope that if it plays well with critics, the cast - Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes - as well as the advertising friendly line "from the director of Training Day" will bring audiences to theaters for a a few days. Here's the trailer:

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