EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has acquired U.S. rights to Giant, a boxing drama starring Amir El-Masry (Limbo) and Pierce Brosnan (Black Bag) that tells the true story of British-Yemeni boxer Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed (El-Masry) and his rags-to-riches ascent to a World Championship under the tutelage of his Irish-born boxing trainer Brendan Ingle (Brosnan).

Counting Sylvester Stallone amongst its executive producers, the film from writer-director Rowan Athale (The Rise, Gangs of London) will be released in theaters Stateside in Q1 2026. True Brit Entertainment will handle its wide release across UK and Irish theaters.

Giant transitions from examining Hamed’s humble beginnings on the tough working-class streets of Sheffield to his discovery by Ingle, himself a steel industry worker turned boxing trainer. Their unlikely partnership, along with Naz’s unorthodox style, cocky persona, and sheer dominance in the ring, propelled them to the top of boxing’s elite and unprecedented levels of global superstardom, all in the face of the rampant Islamophobia and racism of ’80s and ’90s Britain.

“It has been my dream and ambition to bring Giant to the cinema screen for many years,” Athale said. “The story of Prince Naseem Hamed and his tempestuous relationship with fabled boxing trainer Brendan Ingle is the stuff of legend. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and cinematically thrilling, it’s been such a pleasure to bring this to life with a truly iconic actor in Pierce Brosnan, and the exceptionally talented star on the rise Amir El Masry. And it has been wonderful to make this film with the support of Sylvester Stallone and his Balboa Productions behind the camera. I look forward to working with the Vertical team to bring this film to audiences in the U.S. and with True Brit in the U.K.”

Financed by Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios with additional financing from BondIt Media Capital, Giant was produced by Mark Lane of Tea Shop Productions, Kevin Sampson of White Star Productions, AGC Chairman and CEO Ford, and Ross Williams, and executive produced by Stallone and Braden Aftergood of Balboa Productions, AGC Studios’ Miguel Palos, Zach Garrett, and Anant Tamirisa, BondIt’s Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor, and Tyler Gould, Michael Ewing, and True Brit’s Zygi Kamasa.

Jarowey and SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi negotiated the deal for Vertical, with Tamirisa negotiating on behalf of the filmmakers.