Matt Damon was originally supposed to play the role of Dicky Eklund in the Paramount Pictures drama The Fighter. According to Variety, Damon had to drop out due to a heavy pre-strike work workload. Instead, Brad Pitt has signed on to play the part.

Mark Wahlberg headlines this biopic about boxer Irish Mickey Ward , which follows Ward's unlikely path to becoming a world lightweight champion. Pitt's Eklund is Mickey's half-brother, a talented boxer in his own right who went the distance with Sugar Ray Leonard in a title fight. In the film, he helps his underperforming brother make a remarkable run that leads to the world title.

The film, written by Scott Silver and being directing by Darren Aronofsky, will go into production after Pitt finishes work on the Universal Pictures film State of Play.

The Fighter was released December 10th, 2010 and stars Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo, Dendrie Taylor, Jack McGee, Jenna Lamia, Bianca Hunter. The film is directed by David O. Russell.