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« | Home | »

Tuesday media talk: Tim Allen in MMA movie

By Zach Arnold | May 14, 2007

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How should fans react to the fact that Tim Allen will be the lead star in Sony’s new MMA movie Redbelt?

Onto today’s headlines.

Here’s an interview (in Japanese) with Manabu Takashima (proclaimed the ‘charisma writer’ on TV-Tokyo) and Yushin Okami. If anyone translates it before I do, I’ll link to it.

  1. New York Newsday: MMA fighter Jeff Moss posts bail after being called a suspect in fatal crash killing
  2. NBC 5 (Chicago): Ultimate fighting: Will Illinois legalize it? (surprise – politicians have negative things to say)
  3. NBC 5: Rep. Al Riley video explaining why he opposes regulating MMA in Illinois
  4. NBC 5: Video of UFC COO Kirk Hendrick stating the case for MMA regulation in Illinois
  5. The Northwest Herald: Wonder Laker fighter Bart Palaszewski shines with IFL team
  6. Mad Squabbles: A $14,000 break
  7. MMA California: MMA suffers another tragic loss
  8. Radio (Eddie Goldman): Interview with Wallid Ismail and the MMA World League
  9. Jake Rossen: The Unofficial, Official Guide to May/June MMA
  10. Yahoo Sports: The Big Debut for Brock Lesnar
  11. ESPN’s Page 2: This guy scares you? (Chuck Liddell article)
  12. The Iowa City Press-Citizen: Fight Night fight brewing?
  13. The Evening Star (UK): Ipswich hosts Cage Fight Series sporting spectacular
  14. The Long Beach Press-Telegram: ‘Rampage’ is all business
  15. Fox News Fight Game: Renzo Gracie interview
  16. Fox News Fight Game: A visit to Renzo’s gym in New York City

Topics: IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 21 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

21 Responses to “Tuesday media talk: Tim Allen in MMA movie”

  1. Jordan Breen says:

    Tim The Toolman FTW.

  2. Preach says:

    Just goes to show (again) that Studio execs are not in touch with the audiences anymore. Up to this point the Redbelt cast looked very good, being made up of somewhat new faces like Chiwetel Eijofor (Children of Men, Firefly), Max Martini (The Unit), Cathy Cahlin Ryan (The Shield), Emily Mortimer (The 51st State), Jose Pablo Cantillo (Crank), Rodrigo Santoro (300), rounded up with veterans David Paymer and Joe Mantegna, and a few fighters like Randy Couture and Enson Inoue. Exactly the type of casting this sort of film needs – no big stars. But Allen? The man may be a good actor, and be able to pull off a dramatic role, no doubt about that, but he’s the type of actor who has lost “it”. To make the audience completely forget about his past roles and his persona per se. He’s been dabbling too long in kiddie fare, for people not to immediately say “Oh, that’s Tim Taylor from Home Improvement” or “Look, it’s Santa” when they spot him in the movie. It would’ve been much better, if they had gone out and gave the role to an actual “troubled action star”. There’s more than enough of them out there…

  3. Allen says:

    Keep in mind that Steve Martin was coming off of Sgt. Bilko and Mixed Nuts before his incredible turn in Mamet’s The Spanish Prisoner. Sure, Martin is a much better comic than the Tool Man, but Sgt Bilko? So, you never know. Stranger comeback/breakout performances have happened.

  4. Preach says:

    The only difference being that Martin was a more diverse actor than Allen is now. Sure, he was (and is) mostly known as a comedic actor, but he did films as diverse as “Pennies from Heaven”, “Dead Men don’t wear plaid”, “The Lonely Guy” or “!Three Amigos!”, and the occasional dramatic roles in films like “Grand Canyon” or “…And the Band played on” (both before “The Spanish Prisoner”). And thankfully he never did a tv-series. Tim Allen on the other hand did “Home Improvement” for 8 seasons, which in itself is very hard to dismiss for the audience, and more or less played the same character in all of his movies, the career alpha male. No matter if “For richer or poorer”, “Jungle 2 Jungle”, “Galaxy Quest” or “Wild Hogs” – all variations of the same role. Hell even his voice-job for “Toy Story” fits. At this point in his career he’s the guy to get for a “Tim Allen-role”, not for a certain character. Sort of like Leslie Nielsen, who’s been playing the same bumbling fool character for 20 years now. Great actor, with some great movies on his resumee (like “Forbidden Planet” or “Nuts”), but he’ll always be Frank Drebbin.

  5. Tim allen… Ugh give me a break.

  6. Jeff says:

    A David Mamet screenplay is hard to knock. He has one Tony nomination and two Oscar nominations. His principal theme in nearly all his works is manhood. I’m actually optimistic.

    BTW, did anybody else see Steven Seagal in Jim Belushi in the movie Joe Somebody? Anyway, I thought that was a movie that “got it”. Manhood doesn’t have anything to do with getting into a fight. Being ready to fight, yes; but not fighting. Perhaps Tim Allen understands this as well?

  7. MMA Game says:

    I don’t see any way it’s going to be an actual MMA film… It’s going to be more like Blades of Glory mixed with Hot Shots.

  8. I have faith in David Mamet, very funny guy. Check out an interview with him here, I especially like his answer to the question “Do you ever feel like a whore?”

  9. Grape Knee High says:

    Tim Allen? Hhmm. To Mamet’s credit, he has made Ed O’Neill (of Married With Children fame) look like a respectable actor with a few bit parts in his past movies.

    Allen might be okay with the role he’s being given. (From the linked article: “Allen plays a troubled action star with marital problems who meets the master when he is getting pummeled in a street fight.”)

  10. […] of gloves: FightOpinion.com and reader “Mike”) This entry is filed under Randy Couture, Redbelt. You can follow […]

  11. Zack says:

    I heard a rumor that Carl Winslow will be Tim Allens rival in the movie.

  12. chairibofjustice says:

    David Mamet is a genius, this is the guy who wrote Glengarry Glen Ross and Spartan. If anyone can pull it off, it’s Mamet.

    I remember there was a Jiu-Jitsu guy that worked on Spartan as an adviser, I wonder if he had anything to do with this new flick.

  13. Psygone says:

    I had him in a triangle choke and then I transitioned to the an arm bar and he tapped…rawr-rar-rawr-rar

  14. […] Couture in New MMA Movie (No Ratings Yet)  Loading … I read this news earlier today on FightOpinion.com and just go to blogging about it. I really don’t know whether to laugh about this or take is […]

  15. Lets see…what to discuss.

    Tim Allen in a Mamet movie which will get cut in half once it hits screens….

    or….

    Ill. state reps still thinking UFC is still run by SEG?

    hhhmmmmm

    decsions, decsions.

  16. Tomer Chen says:

    Ill. state reps still thinking UFC is still run by SEG?

    You mean Bob Meyrowitz isn’t the owner of the UFC anymore and sold the product in 2001 to the Fertittas (Zuffa)? The shock! :p

  17. Zack says:

    “You mean Bob Meyrowitz isn’t the owner of the UFC anymore and sold the product in 2001 to the Fertittas (Zuffa)? The shock! :p”

    Yeah…thats when they added refs and banned knife attacks.

  18. Mateo says:

    After hearing Capcom want Jessica Biel to play Chun-Li, this doesn’t have the same shock value. I’ll give it a shot.

  19. Sam Scaff says:

    Carl Winslow??

    You mean Reginald VelJohnson? Unless he’s placing a cop, I dont think he’ll take the part.

  20. Jonathan says:

    Who the hell cares that Tim “Da Toolman Taylor” is in a MMA movie…or, shall I say, a movie about fighting. I don’t. Give me the real news and whatnot.

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