Halle Berry’s highly anticipated mixed martial arts film finally has a release date.
The Oscar-winning actress announced Thursday on Twitter that “Bruised,” which also serves as her directorial debut, will be released Nov. 24 on Netflix.
“This project is so special to me, not only because it’s my directorial debut, but because the fight game, especially MMA, is a sport that I absolutely love and a genre that has always been winning,” Berry tweeted. “Everyone loves to root for the underdog, as we’ve all been there.”
Berry also thanked the UFC and Invicta FC for their support and involvement in the project.
After 3 years in the making, I am THRILLED to finally announce “Bruised” is coming to @netflix globally Nov. 24. This project is so special to me, not only because it’s my directorial debut, but because the fight game, especially MMA, is a sport that I absolutely love (1/2) pic.twitter.com/tHNVyZ5E4G
— Halle Berry (@halleberry) August 5, 2021
In April 2020, Berry explained the plot of the film during an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon.
“It’s a movie about sort of a disgraced MMA fighter sort of in the middle towards the end of her career, and it’s sort of the journey she goes through to get her son back that she left when he was very young, and then get her sense of self and her career back,” Berry said. “It’s a movie that got sat down in my lap three years ago, and it’s one of those stories that just gripped me. I understood the depth of this woman’s pain. I understood what she was fighting for. It’s very redemptive.”
Although Berry never intended to both star and direct the movie, she said she assumed the latter role because of how strongly she connected with the story.
The film co-stars women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, who plays the role of the main rival to Berry’s character, Jackie “Justice.” To get into character, Berry turned to UFC featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega for MMA training, among others.
