Actor Mark Wahlberg has said that a follow up to The Fighter is the sequel that he most wants to make. The 2010 David O. Russell film found instant success upon its release, bringing in substantial critical acclaim and eventually taking home two Oscars. It marked the start of a particularly impressive creative period for Russell, whose next two films, Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, brought him considerable acclaim as a filmmaker.
Based on the true story of boxer Micky Ward (Wahlberg), The Fighter showcases the character’s struggle to be considered a legitimate boxing talent, all while dealing with the difficulties imposed upon him by his brother, Dicky (Christian Bale). Dicky’s claim to fame is that he once had a title shot with boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, but years on from this career high, he has been deeply side-lined by drug addiction. As Dicky’s desire to make up for his past shortcomings manifest themselves in trying to coach Micky to boxing stardom, things become more complicated and problematic for the dedicated young fighter. Eventually, Micky does win the welterweight title, but the film does not focus on what many boxing fans consider to be the real highlight of his career: a trilogy of fights against Arturo Gatti.
In a recent exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Wahlberg revealed that the film he’s done that he would most like to return to for a sequel is The Fighter. Explaining how the fights between Ward and Gatti serve as a perfect set up for a trilogy of films, Wahlberg acknowledged that at age 50, he’s probably “aging out” of the possibility to star as Ward in two more films, but nonetheless, it remains a project he’s keen to continue exploring. As Wahlberg stated after being asked about which sequel he’s most interested in making:
The Fighter, but I'm now probably aging out of that. But you always felt like you couldn't make a movie about Mickey Ward without showing the Arturo Gatti Trilogy, which were some of the greatest fights. One of them was Fight of the Century. So that would have been nice. I am going to get to make a Spencer Confidential sequel. I love that character, people really love that character, and he's kind of now moving into different adventures. You know, It just depends. I was never really in the sequel business. But The Fighter really lent itself for another movie because of Micky and Arturo Gotti's trilogy. I'm always kind of looking for the next thing. But if the audience really wants it, and they really love it, and we can make one better than the first then I'd be willing to do it again, for sure.
Having produced The Fighter as well as starring in it, Wahlberg is in a position to potentially make a sequel happen. Given the success of the first film and how positive the audience reaction was to the character of Ward, there’s every reason to believe that a sequel would be something that could stand a strong chance of recapturing The Fighter’s original magic. Whether or not Russell would return for any follow-ups to his 2010 film is hard to say, however. His latest (presently untitled) film is set for release this year and boasts a star-studded cast, complete with the likes of Bale, Margot Robbie, Robert De Niro, Rami Malek, Taylor Swift, Chris Rock, and Mike Myers.
While the idea of The Fighter 2 is sure to appeal to many fans of the original film, a sequel would have to be about more than just a boxing match to hit the same mark as the first film. Russell was able to imbue The Fighter with a genuine sense of humanity, and it was that emotional impact that truly won audiences over, safeguarding it from being just another boxing film. There’s no doubt that the story of Ward’s trilogy of fights with Gatti is engaging, but a sequel will require strong direction to keep it on the same level as the original.
