Russell Crowe’s MMA movie “Beast in Me” sold to Grindstone

Exclusive: Grindstone Entertainment Group has acquired domestic distribution rights to the mixed martial arts action drama A monster inside me Starring Academy Award winner Russell Crowe, Daniel Macpherson and Luke Hemsworth.

Co-written by Crowe and David Frigerio, the film tells the story of a former mixed martial arts legend turned family man who is lured back into the cage for a high-stakes rematch with the champion he once defeated. Now, as the underdog, he must grapple with guilt, grief, and his violent past to win one last battle for his family and himself. For Crowe, this is the second film he has co-written after the 2022 film poker face Which he also directed.

Tyler Atkins directs A monster inside me Produced by Tim O’Hare along with Frigerio, John Schwartz and Michael Schwartz. The film was shot in Australia and Bangkok and produced in collaboration with Asian martial arts franchise ONE Championship. Solution Entertainment Group was selling the film last winter at EFM.

Grindstone Entertainment Group, run by President and CEO Barry Brooker and Director Stan Wertlieb, has a distribution deal with Lionsgate that runs through 2027. Lionsgate and Grindstone have a nearly 18-year working relationship across a content library of 700 titles.

Previous Grindstone releases include action Fall, damagedWith Sam Jackson and Vincent Cassel; How the Gringo Stole ChristmasStarring George Lopez, The path of despair, Manadrome With Jesse Eisenberg; and Lamborghini With Frank Grillo, Mira Sorvino and Gabriel Byrne.

Crowe shines in the upcoming Sony Pictures Classics competition for awards season, Nuremberg. Frigerio previously co-wrote the film with Crowe, Luke, and Liam Hemsworthbad land, From director William Eubank.