Disney’s Andscape has released the first trailer for They Fight, a gritty, emotional new sports drama starring André Holland, Wendell Pierce, and Samira Wiley. The trailer release lands alongside the film’s world premiere at the Tribeca Festival, offering a first look before the movie makes its official streaming debut on Hulu this July 17.
Written and directed by Sheldon Candis, They Fight is a scripted adaptation of Andrew Renzi’s acclaimed 2018 documentary of the same name. The story pulls back the curtain on a struggling youth boxing program in Washington, D.C., translating real-world survival and ambition into an unforgettable cinematic underdog story.
At the heart of the film is Walt Manigan (played by Holland), a boxing savant and reformed ex-con who returns to Southeast Washington, D.C., fiercely determined to piece his life back together. Searching for redemption, Walt finds a new sense of purpose when he steps in to mentor a group of young, aspiring fighters at a crumbling gym inside a neighborhood recreation center on the brink of a permanent shutdown.
Walt doesn’t have to carry the weight alone. He operates under the watchful, protective eye of his own long-time mentor, Slim (Pierce). While Walt fights to keep his young mentees off the streets and on the straight and narrow, he is also fighting a deeply personal battle outside the ring, attempting to heal his past and rebuild his family with Ketta (Wiley), the mother of his young son.
The stakes inside the gym reach a boiling point when the program’s future hinges on its two top prospects, best friends Quincey (Toussaint Francois Battiste) and Peanut (Anthony B. Jenkins). The young boxers see their bond tested in real-time as they go toe-to-toe to secure a single, life-changing spot on the U.S. Junior Olympic Team.
Director Sheldon Candis hasn’t hidden his profound inspiration for the project, describing They Fight as a cinematic mashup of his biggest storytelling influences.
“They Fight is my love letter to one of my all-time favorite directors John G. Avildsen,” Candis shared with The Hollywood Reporter, paying homage to the Oscar-winning director behind Rocky and the original Karate Kid trilogy. “It’s a Karate Kid-inspired narrative punched in the face with a John Hughes coming-of-age story about Southeast D.C. kids fighting to dream within amateur youth boxing. André Holland plays the real-life character of Walt Manigan within this documentary adaptation of a man searching to reclaim his soul.”
Beyond its leading trio of Holland, Pierce, and Wiley, the film features an incredibly deep ensemble cast of veteran actors and rising stars. The lineup includes Mykelti Williamson, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Andre Royo, Amanda Warren, Tory J. Malone, and Tinashe Kajese-Bolden.
They Fight hits Hulu on July 17. Check out the trailer below.
