This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
It’s been over two years since news broke that Gavin O’Connor was developing a TV series at Paramount+ based on his 2011 sports drama, Warrior. There’s since been no word on its status and it was beginning to look like one of those projects that just veer off into oblivion while navigating development. Thankfully, that won’t be the case as the TV series seems to be progressing nicely. The latest update on the series comes from Frank Grillo who played trainer, Frank Campana in the martial arts sports drama film. Grillo reveals progress has been made while teasing the return of his character as well as some other key characters from the movie.
Grillo has been busy recently promoting his latest action horror film, Werewolves, which unfolds on the night of a weird event called the supermoon which turns humans into werewolves upon exposure. Grillo’s media rounds led him to a stop at The Kristian Harloff Show, where he reflected on his journey while sharing deets about his upcoming projects. When the interviewer asked if he knew anything about the Warrior TV series, he replied; “He’s (O’Connor) going to do it as a television show.”
Grillo also had more to share on what to expect from the series, revealing he recently had contact with O’Connor who requested his return to the series. He added: “I think it was greenlit, actually, because he asked me a while back, he goes, ‘Would you think you’d come back?’ […] I go, ‘Yeah, dude, I’ll come back.” While previous reports on the series didn’t name any of the movie’s cast to return, it appears the series will feature other characters from the movie in some capacity which Grillo reveals O’Conner plans to “use them sparingly, but significantly.”
What Else Do We Know About ‘Warrior’ TV Series?
O’Connor was initially adamant about making a TV series about Warrior, previously intending for the story to be a one-off. However, following frequent interest from Lionsgate to adapt the movie, (which later gained a huge following) into a series, O’Connor finally became more receptive after reading a pitch from Adair Cole with whom he will co-create the series. The filmmaker said his only condition to revisiting the Warrior world was if the story would be significantly different and Cole created something the caught his fancy. Speaking about how their ideas came together, he said:
“There was some really interesting stuff in there. I started sketching out characters, expounding what he had and gene splicing things and I called him after the holidays and said, ‘I’m in. I think I want to do this.’ We started figuring out the characters.
The thing I said to Adair and Lionsgate which wasn’t in the pitch, is that this is about the life fight
.”
Rather than following the brutal rivalry between two Conlon brothers Tommy and Brendan played by Tom Hardy and Joel Egerton respectively, the plot for the TV series will instead chronicle the fighting careers of four fighters including two mean and two women. Warrior movie also starred Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Kevin Dunn, among others, however, how previous characters from the movie will tie in to these new set of characters remains to be seen, but being a TV series does provide a large wiggle room for the inclusion of the movie’s cast.
Only two cast announcements have been made for the series and they include retired UFC Champion Daniel Cormier who will play single father who is in massive debt and Jane the Virgin star, Gina Rodriguez as Jessica Flores a young fighter on a journey of self-discovery. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the Warrior TV series and check out the movie currently available to stream on Prime Video.
