They might not have had to fight in the ring, but Netflix has managed to win distribution rights for Halle Berry’s directorial debut, Bruised.
The actor and former model and beauty contest participant is swapping the brushes for boxing gloves in as one star of the story about a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter attempting to redeem both sides of her life, being a mother and an athlete.
Michelle Rosenfarb has written the script, with the film also featuring Shelia Atim—the “Rising Star” of Toronto International Film Festival this year—where Bruised is being screened as a work-in-progress. And with Halle Berry‘s previous roles including films like John Wick (and, yes, Catwoman), she’s no stranger to the stunt or two. So it seems only right that the team behind those incredible John Wick action sequences are also coordinating the stunts for Bruised. Does this mean we’ll be seeing even more inventive ways to fight? Quite possibly.
While it might be a while before we see the full results of Bruised, it’s certainly positive to see such a diverse crew already put together, never-mind Berry adding her name to the list of female directors that can sometimes seem to get shorter rather than longer. Fingers crossed this is the first of many Halle Berry-directed movies, and hopefully we’ll even get to see some in the cinema!
Terence Blanchard will be composing the score, having also been recognised by TIFF this year as the recipient of the Variety Artisan Award. Seemingly always a busy man, his work will also be featured in Regina King’s first film, One Night in Miami.
Although Bruised might seem like a ‘safe’ choice for Netflix to take, Berry should still take risks with this. She has the chance to discuss some underrepresented topics on screen: especially concerning women in ‘male-dominated’ careers and the struggles of motherhood, so we just have to hope this opportunity is taken.
There’s no news on a release date just yet, but the sale is looking to reach around $20 million in total… a knock out price tag indeed.
Words by Harriet Metcalfe
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