Rachel McAdams & Lupita Nyong’o in talks for boxing drama Southpaw

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Two very lovely ladies are in negotiations to join Antoine Fuqua's boxing drama SOUTHPAW. Jake Gyllenhaal is already attached to play Billy "The Great" Hope, "a left-handed prizefighter who wins a title but suffers a tragedy soon after and must put his life back together to earn the respect of his young daughter," and Deadline is reporting Rachel McAdams and Lupita Nyong'o are up for two roles in Fuqua's new movie.

McAdams would play the female lead alongside Gyllenhaal, and the filmmakers want Nyong'o to play a social worker who is looking out for Billy Hope's kid. Deadline has also learned Forest Whitaker is in talks to join the film as a former boxer who retired after losing an eye, and now trains younger fighters.

The script for SOUTHPAW comes from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, although apparently Antoine Fuqua has brought in his THE EQUALIZER scribe Richard Wenk to polish it. Filming for SOUTHPAW could start as early as this summer.

I was more interested in SOUTHPAW when Eminem was going to star in it, but I still think it has the potential to be a very solid movie, especially if Rachel McAdams, Lupita Nyong'o and Forest Whitaker do end up joining the project.

Rachel McAdams can be seen next in the thriller A MOST WANTED MAN, and Lupita Nyong'o will be voicing Rakcha in Jon Favreau and Disney's new live-action take on THE JUNGLE BOOK.