Da Brick

HBO KO’s Spike Lee and Mike Tyson’s DA BRICK

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: March 13th, 2012 at 4:26 pm

In somewhat disappointing news today, HBO has decided to pass on Da Brick, a drama pilot from Academy Award-nominated director Spike Lee and boxing legend, Mike Tyson. Written by John Ridley and directed by Lee, Da Brick was partially inspired by Tyson’s formative youth and looked at what it was like to be a young, black man in an America that is supposedly “post-racial.” The project began when Tyson was on the set of Entourage for a guest role and he mentioned to series creator, Doug Ellin that he’d like to build a show around his own life, much like they did for Mark Wahlberg’s early days. What’s most disappointing to me is that John Boyega (Attack the Block) was set to star as Donnie, the central character who is a young boxer fresh out of juvenile detention on his 18th birthday. I would have been infinitely more interested in Boyega’s performance than the show’s premise itself, but as Deadline reports, HBO has passed. Such a shame. Da Brick was executive produced by Lee, Tyson, Ridley and Ellin.

ATTACK THE BLOCK’s John Boyega to Star in HBO Pilot DA BRICK

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: August 31st, 2011 at 8:49 pm

As a young actor, you can’t ask for a much better debut vehicle than Attack the Block.  John Boyega came out of that movie a star, but it was not immediate clear what Hollywood would do with a black, teenage, British star best known for playing a hoodlum.  The answer is very satisfying: Boyega has signed with HBO to star in the boxing drama Da Brick.  The show is loosely based on Mike Tyson’s upbringing, motivated by an offhand conversation between Tyson and producer Doug Ellin (Entourage).  In the fictional version, Boyega will play “Donnie, who, after his release from juvenlie detention on his 18th birthday begins an exploration of what it means to be a man for himself and those around him.”  Milauna Jemai (Lincoln Heights), Julito McCullum (The Wire), and Kamahl Naiqui (Gossip Girl) form the supporting cast.  Hit the jump for details on their roles.

Spike Lee to Direct DA BRICK, a New HBO Series Based on Mike Tyson’s Youth

by Jackson Cresswell    Posted: June 21st, 2011 at 10:53 pm

Back in 2010, Mike Tyson appeared in a guest role on Entourage.  Apparently, while on set, Tyson and series creator Doug Ellin had a conversation.  Ellin said that during the conversation, “Mike asked me, why don’t do with my life what we did with Mark’s life?”

According to Deadline, instead of taking the suggestion as a joke, Ellin instead set about crafting a dramatic series around Mike Tyson’s experience growing up as a boxer in an urban environment.  After developing the project with his production partner, Jim Lefkowitz, Ellin passed writing duties to John Ridley who then convinced Spike Lee to direct the project.

Hit the jump to read more about the series, titled Da Brick.

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