ONE Championship Announces Partnership with 'The Beast in Me' MMA Action-Drama Starring Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson

'The Beast in Me' to Film at ONE Friday Fights Live Event in January 2025

SINGAPORE, Sept. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ONE Championship (ONE), the world's largest martial arts organization, today announced an official partnership with The Beast In Me, a feature-length MMA action-drama film from Broken Open Pictures that is scheduled to begin filming later this year.

ONE will feature prominently in the film, which stars Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man), who co-wrote the script, and Daniel MacPherson (Land of Bad, Foundation, Infini), among others. Select ONE talent including ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong are also expected to make appearances in the movie.

On January 24, 2025, a ONE Friday Fights live event at Bangkok, Thailand's Impact Arena will play host to an MMA action scene for the film, with additional footage being captured throughout fight week.

Chatri Sityodtong stated: "I am thrilled to be partnering with the star-studded cast and production team behind The Beast In Me. I am confident ONE is the best platform to help tell their story of grit, perseverance, and determination. We cannot wait to host their entire team in Bangkok at a ONE Friday Fights fight week in January."

David Frigerio, Producer and Co-Writer of The Beast In Me, stated: "We are excited to be partnering with ONE Championship as we create a film that resonates with fans, celebrating the spirit of competition, resilience, and the pursuit of greatness. With access to ONE's vast network of athletes and events, we are poised to deliver an exhilarating cinematic experience that reflects the true heart of martial arts."

In the film, MacPherson plays an out-of-work former MMA fighter who suffers a personal tragedy involving his brother. With the help of a veteran trainer played by Crowe, he sets out to avenge his brother by coming out of retirement to compete in ONE Championship.

Tyler Atkins will direct the film and Frigerio, along with Tim O'Hair and John Schwarz, will produce. Shane Abbess and Brett Thornquest will executive produce.

More details on the film, including an official release date and global distribution partners, will be announced in the future.

About ONE Championship 

ONE is the world's largest martial arts organization, ranking among the world's top-five sports properties for viewership and engagement with a cumulative reach of over 400 million fans, according to Nielsen. ONE produces and distributes world-class events across more than 190 countries, featuring martial artists and World Champions from over 80 nations and all styles of martial arts including MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and more. ONE can be viewed on many of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Prime Video, Sky Sports, Globo, beIN SPORTS, Channel 7 HD, Seven Network, SuperSport, DAZN, La Liga TV, Claro Sports, Star Sports, iQIYI, One Sports, U-NEXT, Coupang, NET TV, Vidio, Mediapro, Skynet, Mediacorp, Match TV, and more.

SOURCE ONE Championship (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.