The pathetic commercial reception experienced by Gavin OโConnorโs phenomenal 2011 sports drama โ Warrior โ starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton will go down in history as one of modern cinemaโs greatest crimes. Despite winning the hearts and minds of critics + audiences all around the world, as well as earning Nick Nolte an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, it only managed to scrape US$23.3 million against a US$25 million budget. Like Edgertonโs Brendan Conlon, however, the property has rolled with the punches, bided its time, and will now avenge what many assumed was a definite loss with a Warrior TV series (not to be confused with that other highly-bingeable Warrior TV series starring Andrew Koji).
The confirmation came from original director Gavin OโConnor himself, who recently spoke to Discussing Film to celebrate the filmโs 10th anniversary. The man has officially closed the deal with Lionsgate to direct, co-write with Adair Cole (Lawless Range), and produce every episode to come. All thatโs really left to sort out is which network or streaming service itโll call home.
โItโs not the movie, so thereโs no Conlan family,โ explains OโConnor; slightly heartbreaking though completely understandable.
โBut the show will be in the spirit of the movie. It will be dealing with social issues that are important to me, as there were social issues that were important to me back then that I was dramatising.โ
RELATED: โGangs Of Londonโ Creator To Direct Action Film Starring Tom Hardy
โThere will be characters fighting for something bigger than themselves. We will get the audience to understand and feel deep feelings for the characters before they end up fighting each other, along with the emotional complexity of that.โ
โItโs the painful realities of contemporary America I want to deal with. Iโm dealing with issues, whether itโs poverty, incarceration, mental health, or addiction; itโs social issues that are important to me that I want to explore in a series but through different characters.โ
โItโs four characters: two men, two women. Theyโre all fighters and theyโre going to get into Sparta [the competition from Warrior] and will eventually be facing each other and fighting, and Iโm going to get an audience supporting the two girls and two guys.โ
โSo itโs got the DNA of the movie, but the most important part of the show is that itโs not about the fight in the cage. This show is a drama about the fight outside of the cage. What are they fighting for? Fighting your way out of poverty, to save for your family.โ
RELATED: โLutherโ Movie Starring Idris Elba Coming To Netflix
โI have a character thatโs in Dublin, Ireland, in Mountjoy prison. Thereโs a Muslim girl whoโs a fighter, whoโs living in her Muslim conservative community outside of Paris. Sheโs a lesbian and a fighter, and in her community, neither one of those are permitted. So you have a woman whoโs in two closets almost, sheโs got to find a way out of two closets. Thatโs kind of the idea.โ
While casting details are sparse, OโConnor did reveal former UFC two-division champion, Daniel Cormier, has been locked in to portray one of the lead characters known as Bobby Watkins โ an MMA athlete who lives in Houston, fighting his way out of poverty for his family.
The forthcoming Warrior TV series โ tentatively titled Warriors โ feels as though itโd be a more appropriate format for the subject matter. Granted, OโConnor has proven he can pull off a feature-length film at different budget levels โ having helmed The Accountant and The Way Back in the time since, both starring Ben Affleck โ but television means more screen time, and more screen time means more opportunity to explore characters, story, etc. Something akin to the equally underrated slow-burn MMA drama series Kingdom starring Frank Grillo, Jonathan Tucker, Matt Lauria, and Nick Jonas (now streaming on Netflix, do yourself the favour).
Stay tuned for additional casting details, the release date, and eventual trailer for Gavin OโConnorโs Warrior TV series / Warriors.
