Jamie Foxx is taking on another biographical piece and has signed on to play Mike Tyson in an upcoming limited television series.
Currently titled “Tyson,” the series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Fuqua and Martin Scorsese. Colin Preston wrote the pilot and is in the process of writing the full series.
“I have been looking to tell my story for quite some time,” Tyson told Variety. “With the recent launch of Legends Only League and the excitement from fans following my return to the ring, now feels like the perfect moment. I look forward to collaborating with Martin, Antoine, Jamie, and the entire creative team to bring audiences a series that not only captures my professional and personal journey but also inspires and entertains.”
In February, Tyson blasted Hulu for announcing that the streaming platform was creating an eight-episode series on his life that he’s not involved with and called for fans to boycott it upon its release.
“Hulu’s announcement to do an unauthorized miniseries of my life, although unfortunate, isn’t surprising,” Tyson said in a statement last month on Instagram. “This announcement on the heels of social disparities in our country is a prime example of how Hulu’s corporate greed led to this tone-deaf cultural misappropriation of my life story. #BoycottHulu.”
Tyson’s biography has been in development since 2014 as a feature film, and Foxx has been attached to the project since then. The upcoming series will span the former heavyweight champion’s life and is currently fielding offers for a streaming home.
Foxx, Tyson and Tyson’s wife Kiki are executive producers on the project as well.
