Mike Tyson-Inspired HBO Show 'Da Brick' Gets a Cast

by Scott Christ on Aug 31, 2011 10:30 PM EDT in Boxing News Analysis

"Da Brick," which was picked up as a pilot by HBO and inspired by the life of former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, has a cast to go along with director Spike Lee, writer John Ridley, and executive producers Doug Ellin, Tyson, Lakiha Tyson (Mike's wife), and Jim Lefkowitz.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

The premium network has cast Attack the Block star John Boyega to play the project's titular character.

Boyega will play Donnie, who, after his release from juvenlie detention on his 18th birthday begins an exploration of what it means to be a man for himself and those around him.

Others cast:

Milauna Jemai (NCIS) as Donnie's mother; Julito McCullum (The Wire) as Donnie's best friend, Kevin; and Kamahl Naiqui Palmer (Gossip Girl) as the "moral center" of Donnie's friend group.

Is anyone excited about the show? I generally give anything that HBO does of any interest to me a shot, because of their strong history in producing my two favorite TV shows ever (Deadwood and The Sopranos, and also yes, The Wire The Wire The Wire, there, now I'm a real sports blogger), but I also tend to approach boxing movies and TV shows with a lot of skepticism. I do like that Spike Lee is attached, though.

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I’ll give it a shot. I’ve liked a lot of the HBO programming recently. Game of Thrones and Bored to Death are both great, though in really different ways.

Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"

by Matt Miller on Aug 31, 2011 11:31 PM EDT reply actions

I'm really psyched about this.

But I wonder how they’re going to do the boxing choreography. They’re probably going to go for realistic, gritty choreography as is appropriate for the tone the show seems to be taking, but I just haven’t seen boxing captured well in cinema, much less tv just yet.

I mean raging bull, which is one of the best boxing movies ever, has bad boxing scenes.

The latest Rocky and the Fighter do a cool thing where they simulate the HBO broadcasts, and its great until the actual boxing starts. The canned sound effects on top of impactless blows are just too jarring for me.

I think about it, it’s just so hard to choreograph the muscle memory, the nuances of boxing. Its hard to flourish and maintain in a single shot, a punch combination of which only maybe one blow connects, but not flush. Its hard enough to ask an actor to throw a proper punch in a fluid combination, but just like actual boxing, its harder to learn defense. The hypothetical boxing scene which they want to accomplish in movies like Rocky and the Fighter involves long takes with an actor delivering and avoiding numerous rehearsed blows. An actor. One side could be an actual boxer, but there’s always going to be one side who’s an actor driving your film in the first place. And now he has to act like punching is muscle memory.

Its hard.

It’s like watching an actor played a highly trained assassin. They fired a handgun and blink with each shot.

by Leon Cris Gamboa on Sep 1, 2011 1:20 AM EDT reply actions

There will never be truly good looking boxing in a film, TV show, or video game. Never.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Sep 1, 2011 1:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Never say never

Gaming will get there, imo. Anything relying on Hollywood choreography is probably hopeless, however.

by skeebop on Sep 1, 2011 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions

The problem is that the boxing games aren’t necessarily sold to boxing fans, and most general people want to play Rocky, not boxing.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Sep 1, 2011 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Ya. I feel the same way.

But the boxer is just such a good character.

by Leon Cris Gamboa on Sep 1, 2011 1:24 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah. I’m looking forward to this because against my better instincts I thought Lights Out on FX was decent, but this will have bigger talent and budget.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Sep 1, 2011 1:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Hopefully this will be much less melodramatic

and not as cartoonish with its actual boxing scenes.

UFC is my favorite sport and I’ve been watching and training it since Dana White invented it back in the early 90s. I’m not really into all the ground stuff, and every time I’ve ever tried any of it I end up getting banned from the gyms for my "problem" with frequent erections. My favorite fighter is without a doubt War Machine who’s just too real for all of you pussies to handle, and I wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice my anus to him anytime if need be (it’s not gay if you’re an ALPHA).

Gus Johnson, best p4p commentator in the business.

by Fake Emcee on Sep 1, 2011 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions