UK Boxing Pic ‘Bounty Warrior: The Life of Jem Belcher’ Heads to Amazon Prime, but is Overshadowed by Post-Production Fights and Late Payments

Special: Amazon Prime quietly seizes the local rights to a British boxing movie Boxer: The Life of Jem Belcher.

Oscar winner Russell Crowe, who starred alongside Matt Hawking, Ray Winston, Marton Tsoka, Jodi May, Stephen Berkoff and Julian Glover, was also relatively quiet.

Set in the early 19th century, the film tells the story of a talented young boxer (played by Hawking) who fights to become British champion under the watchful eye of his trainer and surrogate father, Bill Warri (played by Winston). This feature was a passion project and labor of love for Hookings.

XYZ recently struck a multi-million dollar national deal and will soon be getting a piece of the movie for the fur market, where sales will continue. Amazon shipping will resume this month. There are first preview images at the top and bottom.

But what should have been good news has sadly turned into a dark picture due to a behind-the-scenes conflict between some of the film’s producers and financiers.

We understand the budget is in the $16-18 million range, so this isn’t a cheap indie movie.

The film is produced by Hookings’ Camelot Films and Chris Hardman’s Hardman Pictures. Directed by Daniel Graham. The original executive producers of the project were Matthew Chaus and Norman Mary, but executive producers also included Malta Film Commission, Media Finance Capital and Sherborne Media. The UK distributor Signature is also among the companies that have a managerial role in the project, as it previously bought the UK rights. Former Genius CEO Simon Williams was also part of the project.

Last month, we contacted several film-related parties who told us that bills, including equipment bills, had not been paid for months. We were told that the film would never close the planned funding.

We understand that the majority of these outstanding payments to lenders are final or are in the process of being paid. But there is bad blood among some producing partners and sponsors with allegations and allegations of criminal retaliation. The case was brought against us in the middle of an electrical storm.

At the end of March this year, British bankruptcy company Begbies Traynor was appointed as beneficiary by a car (its origin disputed) named Wilshire Financial Group to repay film production company 1803 Films Limited. Managed by Hookings and Hardman. .

Inevitably, no one wants to talk about the recording. But in the back channels, there were complaints and allegations of conflicts of interest and financial misconduct, as well as retaliation for the killing of multiple characters.

There were creative and financial concerns for the project. The movie took a while to come out and has been in post-production since the end of last year, during which time executive producer and star Hawking took over editing duties as he was dissatisfied with his direction.

It’s a complicated situation that some go on to “said, said”. We can only hope that the last movie turns out well and from now on everyone gets paid on time. More updates are likely down the line.