‘Bambo’: Joey King In Talks For Natasha Lyonne-Directed 1980s Boxing Pic Produced By Craig Mazin

Former “Poker Face” star Natasha Lyonne (the Rian Johnson murder mystery series will be moving on with Peter Dinklage as it’s being shopped around after exiting Peacock) has delayed her gestating AI world project to focus on the boxing drama “Bambo,” making this her feature film directing debut with a story set in the world of boxing during the 1980s.

Now, there is a word from Deadline that actress Joey King is being courted and is in active talks to play the titular role of Sophie “Bambo” Braverman, the nickname given to her by her seedy boxing promoter father, Gideon, as a shortened version of Baby Rambo (a reference to the Sly Stallone action film franchise).

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The film’s synopsis, as described by the outlet’s report:

“Set in the ’80s and follows a Brooklyn-born boxing-promoter father as he tries and fails to become the next Don King and takes his kid daughter along for the hurly burly ride of tax evasion, cocaine, race cars, lost dreams, and heartbreak.”

However, they stress that a deal hasn’t been signed for King, but with their aim to get cameras rolling sometime in the summer on “Bambo,” they have time to iron out a contract. Lyonne also produces via her production banner Animal Pictures with Max Ferguson alongside Craig Mazin for Word Games, Jason Weinberg, and Sarah Sarandos.

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King’s previous film credits include “Bullet Train,” “A Family Affair,” “Uglies,” “The Conjuring,” and a minor role in “The Dark Knight Rises.”

It remains to be seen who Lyonne will be casting as Bambo’s erratic father, which will be the other main role in the father-daughter story. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that actors like Bobby Cannavale, Jon Bernthal, or Will Arnett (folks we could imagine paired up with King) are potentially considered for that meaty part of Gideon, unless they already have someone else in mind (a likelihood).