Jamie Foxx will play Mike Tyson in a TV series based on the former heavyweight boxing champion’s life and career, producers have said.
The Oscar-winning actor joins movie legend Martin Scorsese and another Hollywood director, Antoine Fuqua, as executive producer.
Fuqua, a filmmaker best-known for 2001 crime thriller Training Day, will also direct the limited series, which was previously set to be a feature film in 2014, the Deadline website said.
The show, which is not yet attached to a TV network or streaming service, is sanctioned by Tyson.
The series, which will be written by screenwriter Colin Preston, will “span the life of one of the most legendary boxing figures of all time”, producers said.
Tyson, 54, said: “I have been looking to tell my story for quite some time.
Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for Ray. Pic: AP
“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.”
The former boxer’s enthusiasm contrasts sharply with his reaction to another planned project on his life from the US streaming service Hulu.
Last month, Tyson accused Hulu of “tone-deaf cultural misappropriation” over Iron Mike and said Hollywood “needs to be more sensitive to black experiences”.
Hulu, which is owned by Disney, said its eight-part series would explore Tyson’s life and career.
Foxx, 53, won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles in 2004 biopic Ray.
Considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time, Tyson became the youngest ever heavyweight champion in boxing history in 1986 at the age of 20.
Tyson hung up his gloves in 2006, but returned to the ring in November last year for a bout with Roy Jones Jr, which ended in a draw.
