Jeremy Renner to Play Rocky Marciano in Upcoming Biopic

Jeremy Renner Photo by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

Avengers star Jeremy Renner will soon be trading in his bow and arrows for a pair of boxing gloves.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the actor has signed on to play Rocky Marciano in an upcoming biopic about the Brockton boxing legend.

Known for his rock solid chin, the “Brockton Blockbuster” was the king of the heavyweight division between 1952 and 1955, owning wins over the likes of Joe Louis and Jersey Joe Walcott. Marciano ended up retiring as the only undefeated heavyweight champion in history with a perfect 49-0 record.

Tragically, the Massachusetts-born pugilist was killed in accident when his plane crashed during a flight from Newton, Iowa, to Des Moines.

The film, tentatively titled Undefeated: The Rocky Marciano Story, is still looking for a director and there is no word yet as to whether any filming will take place in Massachusetts.

Considering the slew of movies that have come out recently, the boxing drama genre is experiencing a bit of renaissance.

Creed, the latest entry to the Rocky franchise, was a hit at the box office following its release last month while Jake Gyllenhaal’s Southpaw also had a strong showing earlier this year.

However, it’s going to be hard for Undefeated to top Mark Wahlberg’s Massachusetts-set boxing film The Fighter, which earned a ton of Academy Award nominations.

Hopefully Renner will score a knockout when he brings the Brockton bruiser to life on the big screen.