David Harewood’s Benn/Eubank Has It’s Fighters

British actor David Harewood  will be set to make his feature directorial debut  with Benn/Eubank, today the film gets it’s fighters.

The film was mark  the cataclysmic moment in boxing history, the unstoppable moment when two forces of nature collided: the infamous battle between boxers Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank.

Acclaimed independent production company Fulwell 73 is set to produce Benn/Eubank.

Today we learned  the  film  have casted David Jonsson (Industry, Rye Lane)  as Chris Eubank alongside Joshua Maynard (That Dirty Black Bag) who will make his film debut as Nigel Benn. Nathalie Emmanuel (Fast & Furious, Game of Thrones) will play Sharon Benn, with O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Widow, The First Lady) cast as Ambrose Mendy. David Harewood will take the role of Adonis, Chris Eubank’s Bronx boxing mentor whilst also directing the film.

November 18th, 1990. Benn/Eubank brings to life Nigel Benn versus Chris Eubank. Their infamous battle for the World Boxing Organisation middleweight title which has been hailed as the greatest fight to ever take place on British soil. Benn was the favourite, a global star and the then holder of the WBO title. A former soldier, he loved a scrap and once the bell sounded, he became a man possessed. Eubank, the lesser known of the two, had everything to lose. His record lacked a name, and none were bigger than Benn’s at the time.

Benn/Eubank tells the story of two men of unique charisma and complexity, who captured a seminal moment – their fights were watched by tens of millions of people in more than 60 countries – and interest in them sustains more than 30 years later. Their destinies sent them hurtling towards each other long before their fight and once they came face to face, their connection took an even greater grip over their lives.

David Harewood (Homeland, The Night Manager, Man in The High Castle) who until now has only directed episodes of Supergirl will direct with a script by Daniel Harris (House of Flying Arrows), Kieron Hawkes (Power, Intergalactic, Piggy) and Belinda Joanne Ampah.

Harewood, said: “Unleashing the vulnerability, unleashing the spirit and charisma of Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, Benn/Eubank will show what lies behind the bombastic moments of one of the most exciting fights of my lifetime. Their stories demand telling in full, and while they cannot be wholly known without each other, they are also much more than each other. Also, this is my story, as a young man I suffered from psychosis, and there were elements of that which I have in common with both Nigel and Chris and which still affect young black men today. I hope it will be a thrilling, moving and educational experience for audiences around the world, exploring brotherhood, the blurred line between love and hate, and our universal quest for belonging.”

Benn/Eubank is the latest high profile scripted project from Fulwell 73 whose most recent production Mary’s Monster, starring Clara Rugaard and Kit Harington, is due to start shooting this August .

Further casting to be announced in due course.