Black Panther Star Winston Duke Will Play Kimbo Slice In Biopic

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Finding an actor to play Kimbo Slice was always going to be tricky.

The late heavyweight legend – real name Kevin Ferguson – was as charismatic as he was strong, bringing a formidable presence to the ring.

However despite his tough guy persona, the Bahamian mixed martial artist also had a well documented gentle side; known to be a friendly and family-orientated individual.

His life story was testament to his determination and grit, rising from poverty to mainstream fame, when his mutual combat street fights went viral.

Luckily, it seems the perfect actor has been cast to play ‘The King of the Web Brawlers’ in upcoming biopic, Backyard Legend.

31-year-old Winston Duke is a relative newcomer to Hollywood, but has already acted in two of the most successful films of the last few years: Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.

And now, the Marvel star is is set to play Kimbo in this upcoming film, which looks at Kimbo’s meteoric rise from the Miami slums to the world of professional fighting.

According to Deadline, Duke said:

I’m looking forward to exploring Kimbo’s story and interrogating the expectations society places on men like him who are their own special breed of hero.

The hotly anticipated biopic is produced by Steve Lee Jones’ Bee Holder Productions and Michael J. Weiss’ Webros Entertainment.

Emmy nominated Jones – who’s previously produced movies such as You Don’t Know Jack and Kevorkian said:

It’s a rich and layered tale about this man’s incredible journey from a poor neighborhood in Miami to becoming a worldwide phenomenon.

We are ecstatic that Winston has decided to take on this both physically and emotionally challenging role. We simply could not find a better Kimbo!

The screenplay will be written by Andy Weiss, who’s previously penned scripts for White Boy Rick and Bigger.

Simon Brand will direct the film, and told Deadline:

Those who only knew Kimbo by viewing his brawls saw him as fierce and frightening beast of a man, but those close to him experienced his heart of gold, and that he used his fists and instruments to raise his family out of poverty, he was a loyal friend and devoted father.

Kimbo’s story transcends the ring, it is a story about the power of the internet, the lengths one will go to break out of desperation and it is a success story shared with his longtime friend turned manager and adult entertainment magnate Michael Imber as they both emerge from the slums of Miami.

Kimbo Slice fans are already convinced Duke will do this incredible true story justice, taking to social media to share their excitement.

One person squealed:

Winston Duke is really playing Kimbo Slice. I LITERALLY CANNOT CONTAIN MYSELF.

Another said:

This is going to be awesome! I was a huge Kimbo Slice fan. It hurtfully surprised me when he passed away. This is definitely worth checking out…

There’s no word yet as to when we’ll get the chance to see Duke rock that famous full beard, but I for one am feeling very optimistic about this casting choice…

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Julia Banim

Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.