Jamie Foxx has been in business with Netflix for sometime now, as he’s starred in several of the streamer’s films and has even produced a comedy special for the company, too. Well, following the success of Back in Action, which hit No. 1 on the platform earlier this year, Foxx has set his next collaboration with the brand. The Oscar winner is set to headline a sports biopic that sounds both tragic and inspirational. Needless to say, after reading the premise for this film, I’m already in my feelings about it.
Cameras are now rolling on the sports drama Fight for ‘84, which is currently in production in New Jersey. According to Deadline, the Jamie Foxx-fronted flick is set in the aftermath of a plane crash that kills the U.S. Olympic Team in 1980. A new coach is then brought in to help reform the squad and, eventually, that group goes on to have a record-setting run at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Now, if that story doesn’t at least make a person a little bit misty-eyed, then I honestly don’t know what will.
The movie is being directed by Andrés Baiz, a Colombian filmmaker who also helmed episodes of Narcos, The Sandman and Griselda, which were hits among Netflix subscription holders. Baiz has also assembled an ensemble cast to join the Collateral star in Fight for ‘84. Among the cast are Malachi Beasley, Shea Whigham, Will Chase, Dan Perrault, Mitchell Edwards, Algee Smith, Tre McBride, Xavier Mills, Al-Shabazz Jabateh and Javier Bolaños. All in all, it appears this will be a mix of up-and-coming stars and seasoned veterans.
Of course, this won’t be the first time that Jamie Foxx will have participated in a sports drama or even a biopic centered around athletics. Foxx famously played the role of quarterback Willie “Steamin” Beamen in Oliver Stone’s 1999 film Any Given Sunday. And, in 2001, Foxx appeared as Drew Bundini Brown in Ali, which was directed by Michael Mann. (I’d argue that Foxx should’ve won an Oscar for his portrayal of Bundini.)
It’s probably a foregone conclusion that Andrés Baiz wants to hit viewers in their feels with his upcoming boxing drama. What I’m curious about is just how raw the filmmaker plans to get when telling this story of tragedy and triumph. Considering the work he did on those previously mentioned TV shows, I wouldn’t be surprised if he crafts a compelling story with strong performances.
From a business perspective, of course, this marks yet another chapter in what’s seemingly been a fruitful partnership between Jamie Foxx and Netflix. The last few years have seen the two parties team up for Back in Action, Day Shift and (the critically acclaimed) They Cloned Tyrone. In 2024, the streamer also released Foxx’s comedy special, What Had Happened Was…, in which debuted to big numbers. It was in that special that Foxx opened up about the medical emergency he experienced in 2023, which he revealed was a brain bleed that led to a stroke.
Foxx is an incredibly multi-faceted actor and, while he’s greatly known for his comedic prowess, he can definitely hold his own in any drama. The Academy Award he won for Ray alone is enough to back up that assertion. As a sports fan and as someone who enjoys Foxx’s work, I look forward to seeing what he delivers in Fight for ‘84. A release window has yet to be announced, but here’s hoping it arrives amid the 2026 movie schedule.
