Bale And Wahlberg Plan To Enter The Ring With ‘The Fighter’
Posted by Rob Hunter (rob@filmschoolrejects.com) on April 21, 2009
Astaire and Rogers. Hanks and Ryan. Spade and Farley. And now Bale and Wahlberg?
Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg may be one step closer to becoming the latest go-to onscreen couple. Unlike the comedic and/or romantic pairings before them though, these two seem destined for roles that highlight their status as angry white males. Earlier this month we reported that Bale was joining Wahlberg on Prisoners, the hot spec script by newcomer Aaron Guzikowski, for director Bryan Singer. Now comes word that the pair may be joining forces again…
Variety reports that Bale may be joining Wahlberg for his long-gestating project The Fighter, and director David O. Russell may come along for the ride. The film is based on real life characters and was originally set up with fellow Boston native Matt Damon and director Darren Aronofsky. Wahlberg will play World Lightweight Boxing Champion “Irish” Mickey Ward with Bale starring as former boxer and ex-con Dickie Eklund. Eklund serves as Ward’s mentor and helped him become world champion.
People talk about the possibilities for flare-ups between Bale and Wahlberg, but I think the real powder keg would be between Bale and Russell. Both men have well-known histories of on-set tirades (one more defensible than the other) and the two perfectionists together should be dynamite.
Do you see Bale and Wahlberg as having great chemistry? What other kinds of films should they do together?
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