Financially successful, critically acclaimed...why not?

The Fighter was a film that was Mark Wahlberg's baby from the beginning. Conceived almost a decade ago, Wahlberg encountered one setback after another — directors coming aboard and dropping out (Darren Aronofsky was attached, but left to film Black Swan); co-stars coming aboard and dropping out (both Matt Damon and Brad Pitt were attached at one time or another); and since the project was in and out of production for several years, Wahlberg had to keep in 'fighting condition' constantly, for the entire time.

However, Wahlberg stated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that the film was "well worth the struggle to get it made." At the end of the road, he found an immensely financially successful movie, one that garnered seven Academy Award nominations and two wins for supporting actors Melissa Leo and Christian Bale (in the role originally considered by Damon and Pitt). He is even considering a sequel, saying "I got bit by the bug, and now I’m trying to plant the idea in everyone’s head that we should do — not five or six Fighters like Rocky — but one more because the big thing that Micky Ward was famous for was his three epic battles with Arturo Gatti. So we’re talking about possibly taking one more run at it."

The Fighter 2 would feature the same cast, "Everybody had such an amazing experience making the movie that I can’t imagine they wouldn’t want to go back. But it’s still kind in the early stages." And since the film is based on a true story, how does the real Micky Ward feel about a sequel? Wahlberg says, "I just keep getting the phone calls ... from Micky, yeah, saying 'Make sure you get it done.' "

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE, PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR SITE, AT NO COST WITH ONE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK 'LIKE' BUTTON BELOW: