Former UFC champion and WWE star Ronda Rousey is going from the mats to the writers’ room for an adaptation of her memoirs on Netflix. According to Deadline, Rousey is grappling with screenwriting to create a biopic based on her books, My Fight/Your Fight and Our Fight, which she co-wrote with her sister, Maria Burns Ortiz. Chernin Entertainment could produce, but details about their pact with Netflix remain in limbo.
Initially, Paramount was going to enter the Octagon with Rousey after snagging the rights to her first book, but after the studio played musical chairs with high-ranking positions, the rights lapsed, and Netflix pinned them down. Rousey’s books delve deeper into her personal and professional journey, detailing her struggle with suicidal ideation after her first loss to Holly Holm and raising awareness about the concussions she’d suffered before her MMA career. The text also investigates her complicated relationship with coach Edmond Tarverdyan.
Rousey teamed up with Adam Novak, a veteran executive in WME’s story group, to sharpen her writing skills. Novak would send Rousey scripts, evaluate her work, and provide detailed notes about improving her talents with the pen. Rousey reviewed and learned from dozens of scripts while informing herself about screenwriting structure, story design, and screenplay adaptation. Reports say Rousey was then challenged to write a script about her life and did so in seven days, an astonishing feat, to be specific.
When the opportunity presented itself, Rousey’s agents sent Netflix a coverless treatment to discourage bias about Rousey’s identity and screenwriting talent. Netflix executives reportedly pounced on the package (hey-o) and began planning to help tell Rousey’s story.
While Rousey was originally going to star in the biopic, she plans to stick to the writing end of the gig and let someone else enter the arena. Casting for the project begins soon.
What do you think about Ronda Rousey trying her hand at screenwriting? Are you interested in seeing her story play out on Netflix? Who do you think should play Rousey in the biopic? Feel free to share some suggestions in the comments section below.
We look forward to seeing who you think would be a great fit.
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