The first half of the 2000s looked like an ever-busy launching pad for writer-director Ben Younger. In addition to Boiler Room and Prime, the Brooklyn-born filmmaker also helmed a handful of short films. Virtually nothing industry-related, however, has been heard from him since the mid-2000s. Hopefully that will change for the better, as he’s signed on to direct Paz, an indie boxing biopic of “The Pazmanian Devil” Vinny Pazienza. [Variety]
The remarkable true story of Paz revolves around the boxer’s critical car-accident injury, which doctors diagnosed, at the time, as a wound of the career-ending variety. The original screenplay was done by Angelo Pizzo (Hoosiers, Rudy), another guy, like Younger, who’s been on an extended creative hiatus. Word is that Younger will polish the screenplay before shooting, which is scheduled to begin in September. Chad A. Verdi and Noah Kraft, meanwhile, are singed on as producers.
We know from 2010’s The Fighter — which brought home nearly $130 million worldwide — that there is still a market for life-affirming boxing stories on the big screen. And who knows — if Younger is able to bring the sharpness of his debut to the table once again, perhaps Paz will even have a chance to mirror the awards-related success of David O. Russell‘s film.
Have you seen Younger’s first two features? Does he strike you as a good choice for this?