When Ving Rhames goes from impossible missions to the squared circle for the upcoming boxing drama Uppercut, emotions will fly like so many shots to the breadbasket. Grindstone Entertainment is ringing the bell for the North American rights to Uppercut, which stars Rhames as a trainer who agrees to mold the mind and body of a new female fighter.
Uppercut marks German writer-director Torsten Ruether’s English-language debut for the adaptation of the filmmaker’s 2021 film Leberhaken. The original film’s star, Luiii, aka Luise Grossmann, a former professional pole vaulter-turned-actress, is Duking it out alongside Rhames in the upcoming sports drama. Joanna Cassidy (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Blade Runner) and Jordan E. Cooper (Pose, Wolf, Mama Got a Cough) add more power to the project’s punch.
Uppercut takes place in New York City in 2014. The hard-hitting tale focuses on Toni (Luii) as she seeks wisdom from Elliott (Rhames), a former boxer turned gym owner in Bushwick. Reluctant to train her, Elliott’s guard eventually breaks, and the two form an unlikely union while exploring social, racial, and personal boundaries.
Fast-forward a few years, and Toni is a pioneering boxing manager. She’s got Payne (Cooper) under her wing, leading him toward his first championship. With her future on the line, Toni uses what she learned from Elliott to coach the next generation’s prize fighter.
“Ving Rhames has delivered another powerhouse performance while forging incredible chemistry with Luiii, and we have a fantastic production crew led by Matthew,” said Ruether. “We’re thrilled to have such a distinguished and influential team bringing our film to audiences and to international buyers, and we’re looking forward to keeping moviegoers on the edge of their seats.”
While waiting for Uppercut to arrive in theaters, you can catch Ving Rhames as Otto’s voice in The Garfield Movie. Otto is a purple bull that Garfield encounters on his chaotic road trip. The fat, lazy, lasagna-loving cat pads into theaters this weekend to go toe-to-toe with Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Good luck getting a slice of the box office, Garfield!
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