Mark Wahlberg is a very busy guy. In addition to acting, Wahlberg has become increasingly involved in producing not only feature films, but a handful of original series as well. With Wahlberg's new crime thriller Contraband opening next week, earlier today Steve got the chance to speak with the hard-working actor. While weâll have the full interview up next week, we wanted to share what Wahlberg had to say regarding The Fighter sequel, the Entourage movie, and Michael Bayâs small-budget dark comedy Pain and Gain.
While it was previously reported that Wahlberg had passed on Pain and Gain, the actor revealed that heâs still very much considering the project and heâs currently waiting on a new draft of the script. Hit the jump to see what Wahlberg had to say concerning all the projects.
Given that the 2010 Oscar-winning drama The Fighter only covered a small portion of professional boxer Micky Wardâs life, many involved with the film expressed interest in continuing Wardâs story in a follow-up. The second film would center on Wardâs famous fights with opponent Arturo Gatti, but word on the sequel has been quiet for some time. As he was a producer on the first film, Wahlberg is intricately involved in the follow-up and revealed that theyâre currently waiting on a script by Scott Silver (who wrote The Fighter):
âItâs definitely a priority but I donât think itâs necessarily gonna be a sequel, itâs really kind of itâs own thing about the Ward/Gatti wars and this crazy relationship that came out of these fights. After the first fight they became very close friends, yet two more times they went in there and tried to kill each other and caused a lot of physical and mental damage that really took a toll on them, and certainly still takes a toll on Micky to this day. Scott Silver is gonna be writing it and hopefully heâs writing as we speak.â
The Ward/Gatti saga is some dramatic stuff to say the least, and should be ripe with emotional content to anchor the follow-up film. Regarding when Wahlberg thinks production could begin, heâs hoping to get to it within the next year and a half:
âWell [Iâd like to start shooting] sooner rather than later, I mean Iâm not getting any younger although Stallone did film Rocky 6 when he was 60, and he filmed the first one when he was 29. But I would like to do it within the next year, year and a half.â
A director has yet to be announced, and last we heard The Fighter director David O. Russellâs involvement was still up in the air, but once Silver finishes the script we should have a better idea of where things are going.
Another highly anticipated project that Wahlbergâs involved with is a feature film version of the HBO series Entourage. Wahlberg served as executive producer throughout the showâs seven year run and as the eighth and final season aired this past summer, talk turned to the movie. An Entourage feature has been promised for quite some time, and Wahlberg revealed that the status of the pic is currently in the show's creator's hands.
â[Series creator] Doug Ellin is hopefully writing that right now.â
No timetable for the feature has been given, but as with The Fighter sequel we should know more once a script is completed.
Regarding Pain and Gain, the true-story dark comedy is set to be director Michael Bayâs next feature. The notoriously big-budget-minded director is going small-scale with this passion project, which centers on two bodybuilders who get caught up in an extortion ring and kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Wahlberg was rumored to be circling the project alongside Dwayne Johnson, but shortly following the announcement a trade report claimed that Wahlberg had passed on the role. Wahlberg was surprised to learn that heâd turned the role down, setting the record straight by saying he's done no such thing:
âNo, I didnât drop out of it either, theyâre waiting on a rewrite for the script⦠I just spoke to Ari [Emanuel] who represents me as well as Michael and weâre waiting on a script.â
The actor went on to give some high praise for the project, which is certainly outside Bay's normal wheelhouse:
âWe talked about Dwayne and heâs got some great ideas for the cast. I think itâs gonna be something that people are gonna be very surprised that Michaelâs gonna do, but I think heâs gonna do a great job with it.â
Steve then mentioned how crazy the story is and Wahlberg replied:
"It's insane! They better tell me quick so I can get out there and start bulking up. Iâve got the gym, Iâm ready to go."
The original script for Pain and Gain was written by Captain America screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, but itâs unknown if theyâre the ones currently reworking the script. The source material for Pain and Gain is some fascinating/insane stuff, and itâs not hard to see Wahlberg crushing the role. Hopefully weâll hear more soon, as Bay has previously stated that he hopes to start filming this spring.