Posted: Sun., Nov. 11, 2007, 8:00pm PT

Mickey Rourke wires 'Wrestler'

Aronofsky is directing indie drama

Mickey Rourke is getting into the ring with "The Wrestler," the indie drama that Darren Aronofsky will direct in January.

Rourke will play Randy "The Ram" Robinson," a role that Nicolas Cage had reportedly been set to play. There was no word Sunday as to why he had left the project.

Aronofsky and Robert Siegel wrote the script for "The Wrestler," about an over-the-hill grappler who returns to the ring for one last shot at glory.

Rourke, who once took time away from his screen career to become a boxer, has been enjoying a film resurgence that began with "Man on Fire" and "Sin City." He wrapped the John Madden-directed "Killshot," and is currently starring in the ensemble of "The Informers," a Gregor Jordan-directed adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel.


TALKBACK:

Have an opinion about this article? Be the first to comment


Summer Blockbusters

Variety has everything you want to know about this summer's biggest movies.



CTO of LucasFilm Richard Harris discusses the importance of creative freedom for digital artists. ; LucasFilm's Richard Kerris talks about foundations of technology; in particular, communications. ; Richard Kerris talks about the importance of collaboration in the videogame industry. ; Chief Technology Officer of Lucasgame, Richard Kerris, talks about the higher standards of the industry.; Innovators: Sassoon 1; Innovators: Sassoon 2; Innovators: Sassoon 3; Innovators: Sassoon 4; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Weinstein 1; Innovators: Weinstein 2; Innovators: Weinstein 3; Innovators: Weinstein 4; ThatGameCompany co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen talk about their videogame, 'Flow,' which could be described as an aquatic Pacman. ; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; tgc; variety; videogames; Co-founders of ThatGameCompany, Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen, discuss their USC roots while developing 'Cloud.'; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; variety; videogames; Co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen discuss their company's non-violent approach to game development. ; TGC gaming; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; variety; videogames; TGC co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen talk about being approached by videogame publishers. ; ThatGameCompany; chen; cloud; flow; santiago; variety; videogames;

Variety's 10 Innovators to watch
• Tuning in the next wave: Variety’s inaugural list
Q What are the top 3 things affecting our industry today?
A. Michael - 1) Digital technologies (a broad term) is currently having of the biggest affects on our i... more >


Submit this form
© 2008 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this website is subject to its Terms & Conditions of Use. View our Privacy Policy.