Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff
The Fighter, the long-anticipated movie chronicling local boxing legend Micky Ward’s life, is inching closer to becoming reality.
Scouts for Paramount Studios spent part of the weekend in Lowell, visiting sites central to the film’s plot. The same location manager who worked for the Ricky Gervais movie This Side of the Truth, which was shot in the Mill City earlier this year, was spotted at Captain John’s and the Highland Tap Sunday, snapping pictures of potential shooting locations to take back to movie executives.
Arthur Ramalho’s West End Gym also received a visit from the location manager, prompting the longtime boxing trainer to lobby on behalf of his hometown. “They should shoot the movie in Lowell,” Ramalho tells the Sun. “This is where Micky grew up. He got his start right here in this gym.”
A final decision on the primary shooting location has yet to be made. Nick Paleologos, Director of the Massachusetts Film Office, along with various government officials and agencies have been lobbying hard to land the movie for Lowell.
The flick, which will star Oscar nominated actor Mark Wahlberg as Micky Ward, has been in the planning stages for nearly three years now. Brad Pitt is also rumored to be part of the cast as Micky's brother Dickie Ecklund, though recent reports out of Hollywood have Matt Damon as a possibility for the role.
While a time frame has yet to be made public, the fact sites are being scouted is an indication decisions on when and where to shoot could be close to being finalized.
Brad Pitt as Dickie Ecklund??????? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.... Robert Downey Junior wasn't available?