Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts and Christina Hendricks have all been cast in the upcoming boxing biopic ‘The Bleeder,’ Collider is reporting. The drama will tell the story of New Jersey heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner, who fought Muhammad Ali for 15 rounds. He also inspired Sylvester Stallone to pen ‘Rocky.’
Schreiber will reportedly play Wepner, as the actor expressed interest in doing so earlier this year. There aren’t any confirmed reports on who Watts and Hendricks will play, but they are reportedly up for the role of Wepner’s wife Linda. The boxer was married three times and said he has dated “millions of women,” so whichever actress isn’t playing his wife will play one of his girlfriends.
‘The Bleeder’ will be directed by documentary filmmaker Jeff Feuerzeig, who co-wrote the script with Jerry Stahl. Studio Hyde Park International is currently shopping the biopic at the Cannes Film Festival for distribution deals.
Written by: Karen Benardello
