Eminem returns to the big screen as a troubled boxer in 'Southpaw'

When rapper Eminem(real name Marshall Mathers) debuted as an actor in 2002's 8 Mile, he was met with almost universal praise. The film, loosely based on his own life growing up in a rundown, economically decimated area of Detroit, earned over $240M and established the rapper as a potential force in Hollywood. Oddly enough, Eminem never followed up on his success, remaining virtually unseen in movies until last year when he showed up in Judd Apatow's Funny People as himself. Now he looks to be coming back in a role that will again see him forced to overcome trying circumstances to succeed.

Eminem has signed on to play a troubled boxer in Southpaw, written by Kurt Sutter(Sons of Anarchy) as a starring vehicle for the rapper. He'll star as a boxer who fights his way to the title, only to see tragedy destroy his life all around him. The film will be about his attempts to reclaim past glory.

The script has not even been started yet, with Sutter and Eminem making the pitch to Dreamworks directly, which they quickly snapped up. The rapper's Shady Films will be partnering with Riche Productions to produce the feature, which Sutter plans to have a completed first draft of the script completed by February of next year.