MGM nabs Dwayne Johnson drama “Fighting With My Family”

PanARMENIAN.Net - MGM has plunked down a sizable sum to pick up the rights to Fighting With My Family, a wrestling drama from Dwayne Johnson and WWE Studios, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.

The project, to be written and directed by Stephen Merchant (The Office, Hello Ladies), was selling at Berlin’s European Film Market, but now MGM has taken worldwide rights in a deal valued at $17.5 million range, sources tell THR.

Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden, Lena Headey and Nick Frost are starring in the drama, which is based on the true personal story of WWE Superstar Paige and her family of professional wrestlers.

Johnson, who of course first found fame as a wrestler under the moniker The Rock, will executive produce the comedy-drama and play a cameo as himself.

THR earlier this week revealed the project was up for grabs in Berlin, giving this synopsis:

The project is inspired by the Channel 4 British documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting With My Family and tells the story of reformed gangster and former wrestler Ricky, his wife, Julia, daughter Saraya and son Zak, who make a living performing in tiny venues across the country. Ricky and Julia want a better life for their children, and when brother and sister get the chance to audition for WWE, it seems the family dream is coming true and all their troubles will be solved. However, Saraya and Zak are about to learn that becoming a WWE Superstar demands more than they ever imagined possible, both as athletes and siblings. Wrestling has always kept this family together — but now it could tear them apart.

WME Global repped the project in the deal, which set a record for a sale at Berlin's European Film Market and even bested deals at the Sundance Film Festival.