It’s time for Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War standout Winston Duke to star bulking up. While the actor was intimidating and funny as Hell as M’Baku in both films, the first of his career by the way, he’ll need to step it up to play MMA legend Kimbo Slice in the upcoming biopic, Backyard Legend.
Deadline has the news of Duke’s casting, with White Boy Rick scribe Andy Weiss writing the screenplay. Duke will take on the role of Kimbo Slice aka Kevin Ferguson, the Bahamian-born fighter who went from brawling in unsanctioned backyward fights to MMA fame. He died of heart failure in 2016.
Duke, who will also serve as an exec-producer alongside Kimbo’s friend and manager Michael Imber, had this to say…
“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.”
It’s unclear if this will be Duke’s next role. He’s also attached to Us, the “new nightmare” from Get Out director Jordan Peele.
