Daniel Cormier cast in ‘Warrior’ TV spin-off

Daniel Cormier is about to go Hollywood.

Director Gavin O’Connor revealed in an interview with DiscussingFilm (h/t Awful Announcing) celebrating the 10th anniversary of his mixed martial arts film Warrior that Cormier has been cast in a planned television spin-off of the movie titled Warriors.

The former two-division UFC champion is set to play “Bobby Watkins.” O’Connor said Cormier’s character “lives in Houston and is fighting his way out of poverty for his family.” O’Connor is set to serve as a director and executive producer for the show, with Adair Cole (Lawless Range) handling the writing. In 2021, O’Connor was an executive producer for the hit HBO limited series Mare of Easttown.

Since retiring from competition in 2020 following the completion of a trilogy of bouts with rival Stipe Miocic, Cormier has remained active in the MMA scene serving as a commentator for the UFC and an analyst on ESPN. He has also partnered with ESPN on the Details series, previously hosted by fellow sporting legends Kobe Bryant and Peyton Manning.

Warrior, written and directed by O’Connor (Anthony Tambakis and Cliff Dorfman are also credited with working on the screenplay), was released in September 2011 and starred Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte. Hardy and Edgerton play the Conlon brothers, whose personal and professional fighting paths intertwine when they both end up competing in the same MMA tournament for a $5 million prize.

Nolte was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the film. UFC veterans Anthony Johnson, Nate Marquardt, and Roan Carneiro, and pro wrestling star Kurt Angle also made appearances in the film. .

The Warriors spin-off is a thematic follow-up to the film and is not expected to continue the story of the Conlon brothers.

Though Warrior fared poorly in its initial box office run, it became a cult hit upon home release and is currently available on multiple streaming services. According to O’Connor, Lionsgate Films will produce the Warriors television show with streaming distribution currently being negotiated.