Over the past few weeks, Mark Wahlberg has been openly mulling a sequel to The Fighter.  Wahlberg, who produced the flick in addition to starring as boxer Micky Ward, has said that the sequel would focus on the trilogy of fights between Ward and Arturo Gatti.  He also says that everyone, including Oscar-winners Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, had such a great time that he couldn't imagine them not wanting to return.  However, a larger question mark was whether or not director David O. Russell would be willing to get behind the camera.MTV caught up with O. Russell and learned that he would be willing to not only direct, but also write the script this time around.  Says O. Russell:

"I think Micky's story has a lot of heart whichever way you cut it.  You'd go towards the Gatti fights and you could go into the history of the family more. I really like the sisters."

I would pay to see a spin-off that focused only on the harpy sisters.  Hit the jump for more on the potential sequel.

O. Russell noted that the sequel is still in its infancy, but his willingness to not only direct but also write the script moves this project closer to being an actual film rather than simply a nice idea.

Of course, in the wake of The Fighter being his biggest film to date, O. Russell has been linked to a multitude of projects including:

  • Uncharted – an adaptation of the adventure video game starring Mark Wahlberg
  • Cocaine Cowboys — a Mark Wahlberg-led remake of the 2008 documentary about late 70s/early 80s Miami drug trafficker Jon Roberts
  • The Silver Lining’s Playbook – an adaptation of the Matthew Quick novel with Anne Hathaway and Bradley Cooper mentioned for the leads
  • A Dirty Harry-esque cop drama with Ice Cube
  • 2 Guns – a comic adaptation starring Vince Vaughn
  • Under Cover - a comedy in which Jim Carrey joins a cover band
  • Old St. Louis – a drama in the vein of Paper Moon, with Vince Vaughn and Chloe Moretz attached to star
  • Joe - a modern version of the Biblical story of Job with Will Smith attached to star
  • A biopic of filmmaker Russ Meyer

While I'm on board to see whatever O. Russell does next, I'm hoping he takes a brief break from the world of The Fighter and so we can see him bring his talents to a new setting and cast of characters.  Unless he makes The Fighter sequel solely about Micky's sisters.  Then he needs to start making that movie now.