Eminem Boxing Flick ‘Southpaw’ Back in the Ring

After being KO'd by Dreamworks back in August, it looks like Eminem's boxing flick 'Southpaw' is back for a rematch. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the inspirational tale of a down-and-out welterweight boxer who's fighting his way back to reclaim his storied career has found a new home.

The new MGM film studio has acquired 'Southpaw,' which will be distributed through Sony Pictures Entertainment. This will be Em's first big-screen movie role since his stellar performance in the 2002 flick '8 Mile,' which grossed $240 million worldwide at the box office. Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua ('Training Day') is on board to direct the project from a script penned by Em with 'Sons of Anarchy' creator Kurt Sutter.

According to Sutter, 'Southpaw' parallels Eminem's own struggles as a white rapper trying to get noticed. "In a way, this is a continuation of the '8 Mile' story, but rather than a literal biography, we are doing a metaphorical narrative of the second chapter of his life," he told Deadline. "He’ll play a world champion boxer who really hits a hard bottom, and has to fight to win back his life for his young daughter. At its core, this is a retelling of his struggles over the last five years of his life, using the boxing analogy."

It would be good to see Eminem act, again. He has done a few cameos since '8 Mile,' including HBO's 'Entourage' and the Adam Sandler dramedy 'Funny People,' but hasn't carried a movie since his 2002 screen debut. Now it's time for the Detroit spitfire to train and get his weight up.

Production on 'Southpaw' is expected to begin early next year.