It seems like it was just yesterday that we here at Remezcla were lamenting how few biopics exist with Latinos as protagonists. Thankfully, the times they are a-changing. In the last few months we’ve reported on the Pele movie due in theaters ahead of the World Cup and a film on the life of the controversial Mexican pop star, Gloria Trevi, that started filming late last year. Now we have even more good news. Panama’s most famous boxer, Roberto Duran, is getting a biopic too.
The star studded cast includes Edgar Ramirez (of the Carlos miniseries fame) as the boxing legend, Robert De Niro as his famed trainer Ray Arcel, and Usher as one of Duran’s fiercest rivals, Sugar Ray Leonard. Rounding out the cast is Ruben Blades as boxing promoter Carlos Eleta together with Ellen Barkin and John Turturro. Taking its title from Duran’s nickname “Manos de piedra,” the film is titled Hands of Stone.
During one of his most infamous fights, Roberto Duran called it quits during a rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard back in 1980. He waved his hands to the referee who called out, “no mas.” More than thirty years later, people continue to speculate about the bout. Was it Duran who said, “no mas” or was it the ref? There’s even a documentary called No Mas that brought the two fighters together to discuss the controversial match.
The director of Hands of Stone, Jonathan Jakubowicz, used it as a starting point to delve deeper into Duran’s life story. He says, “The infamous “No Mas” fight is the biggest enigma in the history of boxing. This movie will answer the enigma, with the best talent any director can possibly dream.” Backed by an all-star cast and a $17 million budget the Duran biopic wrapped up filming in Panama last December and moved the shoot to New York. Hopefully, Hands of Stone will be coming to a theater near you very soon.