Christian Bale will coach Mark Wahlberg into THE FIGHTER!
Mark Walhberg, at probably the final hour for his near three year pet project The Fighter, has called in some last minute favours and probably done an awful lot of sweet talking to secure the attachment (signatures still required on contracts) of Christian Bale to co-star, David O'Russell to direct, and studio Relativity Media to finance his biopic of boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward. For a film that looked dead in the water, Wahlberg deserves an award in just getting this project back off the ground once again. The Fighter's officially back on and will begin production in July, now as a very promising picture once again. 
Bale will play Dickie Eklund, a real life former boxer who turned trainer after becoming embroiled in a life of drugs and crime. As a way to make up for ruining his own career, Eklund took it upon himself to train his half-brother "Irish" Mickey Ward, who had retired early and transformed him into a Rocky-esque come back which led to three epic bouts with Arturo Gatti. 
If you think it sounds a little like The Wrestler, then you wouldn't be far wrong. The movie was originally setup at Paramount for Darren Aronofsky to direct with Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon, but once Damon pulled out because of scheduling on Paul Greengrass' Green Zone and his replacement Brad Pitt had issues with the script that couldn't be handled during the writer's strike (8 Mile writer Scott Silver has since done a re-draft), Aronofsky dropped out to tell his story about a down and out sportsman who makes an inspiring comeback in the sport of wrestling instead. Once Pitt dropped out of the project last October, Wahlberg sounded defeated in his quest to bring the project to the big screen and we all thought it was dead and buried but I'm so happy to hear of it's revival. Wahlberg kept up a rigorous training regime for two years and was always desperate to make this movie. Finally the hard work looks like it will pay-off. 
The project will re-team Wahlberg with his Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees director David O'Russell and will now be the project he will make with Christian Bale instead of Prisoners, which a few weeks ago both were gearing up to team on. That movie was only ever going to happen if both guy's schedules worked out and well as fate would have it, they didn't. They saw an opportunity to make something else instead. Is O'Russell the right man for this? Well I guess that's a debate for another time because it's just a miracle this movie is happening really after everything that has gone down with it. And Wahlberg clearly trusts the guy and enjoys working with him, that relationship could be vital in bringing Mark Wahlberg back to being an interesting actor once again.