Halle Berry to Make Directorial Debut on MMA Drama ‘Bruised’

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Halle Berry is producing, starring in, and making her feature directorial debut on martial arts drama “Bruised,” which is planned for a March start of production.

Other producers are Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road Pictures, Entertainment 360, and Linda Gottlieb. Riverstone is financing and Erica Lee is executive producing. The film is being developed with the EIS company.

Berry will direct from a script by Michelle Rosenfarb, portraying a disgraced MMA fighter who has to face one of the rising stars of the MMA world and deal with the return of her 6-year-old son to the mother he deserves. She will work with the team that executes fight choreography for the “John Wick” series.

Berry first broke into show business in 1989 on the series “Living Dolls” and was cast in her first movie role in Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever.” She became the first black woman to win the best actress Oscar for her performance in 2001’s “Monster’s Ball.”

Berry appeared in last year’s “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” and the thriller “Kidnap.” She’s starring in “John Wick 3” and is attached to play the key defense role in Sony’s remake of the 1985 thriller “Jagged Edge.”

Berry is represented by WME and Management 360. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.