The Mike Tyson biopic has been bouncing around the ring for years, with Jamie Foxx set to play Iron Mike over a span that has seen the project go from a theatrically released film directed by Martin Scorsese to a limited series helmed by Antoine Fuqua and title changes from Finding Mike to Tyson. And while Foxx’s recent health scare put many on high alert, Tyson himself is hoping that the Oscar winner will still be able to put on the gloves.
Speaking with Valuetainment, Mike Tyson said that there is still a chance that Jamie Foxx will play him in the biopic, but doesn’t know what the recent circumstances could lead to. “It was a possibility. You know, I don’t know what’s gonna happen now, but you know, it’s a strong possibility…Jamie’s closer to my age, so in order to do him, they were going to do what they did with Benjamin Button. They were going to make him look younger.”
Mike Tyson also addressed Jamie Foxx’s health directly, suggesting the secrecy is probably purposeful from the family. “If we don’t know by now, they don’t want us to know.” He added, “Listen, we can’t anticipate that next breath, we don’t know when we’re gonna die.”
Certainly Mike Tyson’s life is ripe for the biopic treatment: there was his 37-0 professional run (which ended with one of the biggest upsets in boxing history courtesy of Buster Douglas), his rape trial and stint in prison, his infamous 1997 bout with Evander Holyfield (in which Tyson gnawed a piece of The Real Deal’s ear off)…and of course who can forget the pigeons? Jamie Foxx has portrayed real-life figures before–Ray Charles (Ray), Nataniel Ayars (The Soloist) and even Muhammad Ali’s cornerman Drew Bundini Brown in Ali–so it would seem that Mike Tyson would be a role he could really sink his teeth into. In 2020, Jamie Foxx showed off his physique as he bulked up to play Mike Tyson:
Mike Tyson has been the subject of numerous documentaries already, including 2008’s Tyson, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and earned strong reviews. Last year, Hulu released an eight-part limited series titled Mike, which chronicled “the tumultuous ups and downs of Tyson’s boxing career and personal life – from being a beloved global athlete to a pariah and back again.” That it was an unauthorized project made for a juicy enough watch, but was blasted by Tyson, saying they “stole my life story and didn’t pay me.”
Do you still want to see Jamie Foxx play Mike Tyson? Or should they skew younger? Give us your take in the comments section below!