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Mark Wahlberg Talks Aronofsky’s The Fighter, The Departed 2 and 3

Posted on Monday, June 30th, 2008 by Hunter Stephenson

According to Mark Wahlberg, Darren Aronofsky’s The Fighter will begin filming this October. Awesome. You may remember that the film, a biopic on badass pugilist “Irish” Micky Ward, gained considerable traction in the press last year when Wahlberg and others compared it to a “new Raging Bull.” Brad Pitt later signed on to co-star as Ward’s brother/trainer, which was a welcome surprise after his casting debacle on Aronofsky’s The Fountain.

“I’ve been training for two years now. I’m ready,” Wahlberg told MTV. “I want to look like a champ, not a chump. …I want to do [Ward] proud. The guy did everything I wish I could have done. He came from nothing, went on to win the world title with all the odds stacked against him.”

Ward fought throughout the mid-’80s and ’90s, but he’s best remembered for three battles with Arturo Gotti in the early Oughts, two of which went down as the greatest in the history of the sport. Ward lost each one, but, well click here for a surreal refresher. Earlier this year, Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream) wrapped up filming on the white trash indie epic, The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke (release date TBA), so if all goes as planned, we’ll be getting one helluva manly double feature to convert us into jittery pacifists. Somebody combine the Requiem for a Dream score with the YouTube link above to induce insta-goosebumps.

Wahlberg also updated on The Departed 2…

“They’re [still] developing it,” Wahlberg sighed. “If it can be better than the first, then great. I’ll be all for it. I’m not interested in going for the paycheck. I love ‘Godfather 2’ but, then again, I don’t like ‘Godfather 3.’”

Everybody wants to be The Godfather 2 these days, eh? Nothing revelatory in the quote above, but he also mentions the possibility of a Departed 3 (a prequel a la Infernal Affairs 2) as well…

“We may do another one, because it’s based on a Hong Kong film ['Infernal Affairs'], and there is a trilogy. So we may do a sequel with a new cast, and a prequel and bring back the rest of the guys…”

That would make for some heavy dream team assembling.

Discuss: Can Aronofsky/Wahlberg/Pitt reach the greatness of Raging Bull? Against tough odds, Infernal Affairs was a solid trilogy—do you think The Departed 2 and The Departed 3 will ever happen?

Comments

Captain Awesome

I never take when actors compare the work they're in to another great film. Because they're usually off. I'm also pretty sure Aranofsky never described this new film of his like this either. But I am very excited to see it.

While I loved The Departed. These sequels are going to be a bad move.

Mitch

I'm not sure about another Departed. It's gonna be just marky mark, so i have no idea how they could do anything with it, unless alec baldwin really stars.

jonny

I am willing to sit back and just enjoy anything Aranofsky throws at me... I really like the cut of his jib.

Departed sequels are a HUGE mistake. HUGE.

nick

Good write up, looking forward to The Fighter, eh not so much The Departed, but who knows what they could do with it. I'm ready and willing to be surprised.

h2opr00f

I agree Jonny, huge mistake for departed sequels..

sari

The Departed is perfect. They need to stop with this sequel business.

Not Billy Mitchell

I could see it working. Dignam is an interesting character and we still have Alec Baldwin's character around as well. The prequel I'm not seeing.

Indiefilm

The Departed is not a franchise. Its one movie. Almost everyone dies and what's the point in a prequel? To show how Costello turned into...Costello? Now the Fighter, Darren's work is great. I'll go see his stuff any day.

Greyson

white trash indie epic

Drake Whalterson

Wait, that still from Boogie Nights does not look right.

GregoryV

The Departed sequels will be just as pointless just like the original Hong Kong-Infernal Affairs sequels. If you haven't seen the original Infernal Affairs film, you must be living under a f'n rock.

The Departed is an awesome remake of the original but combining the two females characters from the Hong Kong version into one in The Departed was the dumbest mistake. Overall, good film. Sequels, bad mistake.

The Dude

Wouldnt this be money better spent on a a prequel to " no cuntry for old men".../ It won an oscar++!

mike

Glad to hear the Fighter is still going to happen...

Pitt seems to only be attaching himself to stellar pieces so I think it will be a great movie.

Jay

They've made huge mistake.....

Jay

a*

Mike Anderson

Micky Ward BEAT Gatti in the first fight.

andre

sequels for the departed should be made just for the simple fact that the originals were a trilogy set. i think if departed 2 is written up though that should be the prequel just to follow a similar style to the infernal affairs trilogy, then have a fresh new screenplay for the 3rd departed. i'd love to see frank costello's rise to power, more of sullivan's life with costello too in the prequel that'd be a great idea to start from.

Danny

The writer here made a big mistake when he said Mickey Ward lost both of the 2 fights against Arturo Gatti that are considered some of the best fights in history. Of their 3 fights, the very 1st one is considered to be the best fight of all time by many people and Ward DID win that one.

BAD BOY ON THA STREETS

The Departed IS a masterpiece!, there should definitely be a follow-up to the movie, even though most of the characters from the movie were shot and killed or should I say "DEPARTED" Dignam and Alec Baldwins Captain Ellerby survived. I also think Brad Pitt should star in the sequel, since he produced the first movie anyway. He also was going to play the role of Collin Sullivan, but something happened so it is only right that he is allowed the chance to play as one of the baddies or as a corrupt cop or some southie thug who is somehow connected to the new bad gangster boss in The Departed 2. Brad Pitt hasn't played as a bad guy in a long time, since Fight Club. Edward Norton should also be a part of this movie, Robert De Niro as well and so many great actors, u name them. I believe William Monahan can come up with a very interesting, suspenseful cool story for the sequel. The Departed 3 should also be a straight sequel, not a prequel. Maybe the prequel can be made in the form of a book after the sequels are made. that's my opinion. Make the SEQUEL Scoresese, for all your humble fans.

Mikeverville

First... Gatti's name is spelled wrong.

Second... Ward actually beat Gatti in their first fight. It was a split decision.

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