The Fire Inside, the inspiring journey of boxing champion Claressa Shields will ignite the screen, with Ryan Destiny portraying Shields, the film is under the helm of acclaimed cinematographer Rachel Morrison, marking her directorial debut, according to Collider. The trailer demands the viewer's attention, chronicling Shields' journey from her hometown of Flint, Michigan, to the Olympic Games and beyond, as she grapples with the pressure of supporting her family.
At just 17, Shields became the youngest boxer to qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. She went on to win gold medals at both the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympic Games, making her the first American woman to win a gold medal in boxing at the Olympics. Following her success at the 2016 Olympics, Shields embarked on a professional boxing career. In 2020, she joined the Professional Fighters League and made her mixed martial arts debut in June 2021.
Barry Jenkins, the Academy Award-winning director of Moonlight wrote the screenplay for The Fire Inside and co-produced the film with Elishia Holmes. Claressa Shields joined the project as an executive producer, alongside Morrison, Lynne Lucibello Brancatella, Drea Cooper, Zachary Canepari, and SJ Johnson. The project includes a large cast that includes well-known actors like Brian Tyree Henry and Jaden Smith, along with other talented performers such as Jazmine Hedley, Kylie D. Allen, and Maurice Wayne Anglin.
After years of development, The Fire Inside has finally reached the screen. Initially announced in 2019 as "Flint Strong" by Universal Pictures, the film originally starred Ryan Destiny as Shields and Ice Cube as Crutchfield. However, when Universal dropped the project, it was later revived by Amazon MGM. It is finally coming to theaters worlwide on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
