In a photo posted on Instagram, Ray star Jamie Foxx poses with Mike Tyson and teases a planned Mike Tyson Biopic. Using the hashtag #TheJourneyBegins, Foxx thanks Tyson for his trust in the photo's caption, saying that the movie is "one step closer" to production. Tyson himself responded to the post with a closed fist emoji, apparently just as eager to see the project come to life as Foxx. As of this time, no other information about the movie has yet been revealed by the award-winning actor.
Jamie Foxx has been talking about wanting to do a Mike Tyson movie for at least a decade. In 2009, he publicly stated he wanted to do the movie with Ray helmer Taylor Hackford directing. Foxx later said in 2015 that he and Tyson met with Paramount to pitch the movie, now naming Martin Scorsese as the director. If the project came to fruition, it would have been the first boxing movie Scorsese had made since helming Raging Bull. Ultimately, the project would go back into development hell for another four years, but Foxx has clearly never given up hope.
Taking on the role of another famous celebrity for an official biopic is nothing new for Foxx. To great critical acclaim, Foxx played blind pianist Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic Ray, earning Best Actor Awards at the Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards, and the Academy Awards. He also played opposite Will Smith in Ali, playing Ali's cornerman Drew Bundini Brown, which means the Tyson movie won't even be the first boxing biopic Foxx has been a part of. Oliver Stone has also expressed his desire to cast Foxx as Martin Luther King Jr. in a planned biopic produced by Steven Spielberg. Of course, Foxx has plenty of well-known original roles as well, including lead parts in Django Unchained, Miami Vice, and Baby Driver.
Right up there with Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest boxing champions of all time. Known for his speed and inhuman strength, easily decimated most of his opponents after entering the professional boxing scene in 1985. The fearsome fighter went on to win his first 19 fights by KO or stoppage, with 12 in the first round. He won his first world title at just 20 years old, still holding the record today as the youngest boxer to ever do so. Ultimately, Tyson would hang up the gloves with 50 wins against just 6 losses. Of course, the legendary fighter's career has been marred by various controversies as well, including the time he bit opponent Evander Holyfield's ear in the middle of the ring. The ups and downs will both likely be covered in the planned biopic.
While Foxx has been speaking about his desire to portray Tyson for years, it's interesting that he used the hashtag #TheJourneyBegins. This is teasing that the wheels are now in motion for the project to move forward, but it's still worth noting that the news has not yet been made official. If all goes according to plan, however, it's looking like we'll see Foxx as Iron Mike on the big screen soon enough. You can take a look at Foxx's Instagram post below.
