‘Fighting With My Family’ Stage Musical Set; 2019’s Film’s Stephen Merchant & Dwayne Johnson Among Producers
Fighting with My Family is headed from the squared circle to the stage. The 2019 pro wrestling biopic is being adapted as a musical, with the film’s writer-director Stephen Merchant and co-star Dwayne Johnson onboard as producers.
Tilted Musicals with collaborating with Merchant, Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions, Kevin Misher and Birmingham Hippodrome to develop the show with book and lyrics by Olivier Award-winning playwright Jon Brittain. The tunes will come from Miranda Cooper and Nick Coler.
“When we were making the film, I always thought of it like a musical: a young woman from the ‘chorus line’ fighting to get her big break, surrounded by theatrical, larger-than-life characters and huge sweeping emotions,” Merchant said. “I approached each wrestling match like it was a different dance number, building to a big show-stopping finale. Seeing the film reimagined for the stage feels like the natural next step. ”
From left: Stephen Merchant, Florence Pugh and Dwayne Johnson on the set of 2019’s ‘Fighting with My Family’
MGM/Everett Collection
The movie premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and hit theaters that February. It starred FLorence Pugh in the extraordinary true story of WWE star Paige aka Saraya Knight, a goth outsider who is raised in a chaotic but loving British wrestling dynasty. When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity takes her from Norwich to America’s glitzy WWE, she must confront who she really is without her family in her corner. Vince Vaughn also starred as her WWE trainer, and Johnson played himself.
“Fighting With My Family feels exceptionally well-suited for the stage,” Johnson said. “It’s packed with personal emotion expressed through the dynamic world of wrestling, which has always been about storytelling and connecting with a live audience. … As it comes to life musically, I have no doubt it will be an absolute blast for theatergoers.”
The project is first musical developed and produced by Tilted Musicals, a new production company run by Cooper and UK producer-director Sam Hodges. Closed workshops will take place this year before a public presentation in 2027.
