Bruce Willis to play Mike Tyson’s coach in new movie Cornerman

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Bruce Willis has spent years kicking ass and taking names, but in a new movie he’s signed on for, he will be teaching someone else how to kick similar asses: Mike Tyson. According to a new press release out of Cannes, Willis will be playing the famous boxing coach Constantine ‘Cus’ D’Amato in the new movie CORNERMAN, which has been written and will be directed by Rupert Friend (HITMAN: AGENT 47, HOMELAND and THE DEATH OF STALIN).

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The movie will focus on Amato’s coming out of retirement to train a 13-year-old Mike Tyson, taking the young man with a knack for punching and turning him into a legend. You can read the full synopsis below.

Cornerman takes place in the Catskills region of New York during the early 1980’s.  Constantine ‘Cus’ D’Amato (Willis) is a reluctantly retired boxing coach who in his heyday discovered and trained some of the greatest heavyweight world champions.   Now, along his long-time partner Camille, he runs a small gym where he and his trainers, including lithe former street-brawler Teddy Atlas, coach young contenders. But the backer of the gym is pressuring him to find a real competitor and secure Cus' professional legacy. So, when a friend drops by with 13-year-old Mike Tyson, Cus is intrigued. Mike gets into trouble with his fists, displaying his raw but incredibly powerful talent.  Seeing the kid's extraordinary potential, Cus enrolls him in his gym and welcomes him in his home, determined to turn the mercurial hothead into the youngest-ever heavyweight world champion.

Friend talked about the movie and what it’s about at its core saying “Ultimately, this is a story about a deep love between two ferocious talents, each brave enough to admit their fears to the other, and so spur one another to greatness. It is a story about fighting for what you believe in, and a film that will make you question what strength really is.” No word yet on who is playing Tyson, but producers are currently on a worldwide search.

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Willis spends a lot of time doing action films, which is something he's obviously great at, but it will be nice to see him take on more dramatic work here soon. Not only will he be doing this new movie, but GLASS from M. Night Shyamalan sounds like it's taking a fascinating angle by putting Willis' David Dunn in an asylum alongside James McAvoy and Samuel L. Jackson. Keep delivering the goods, Willis!

GLASS arrives January 18, 2019.