Beast is a 2026 sports action drama film set in the world of mixed martial arts, and starring Russell Crowe, Luke Hemsworth and Daniel MacPherson.
Contents
Plot
MMA legend Patton James, now a commercial fisherman, is pulled back into the cage when his brother is in danger. Reuniting with his old coach Sammy, he commits to one final fight in ONE Championship against its champion Xavier Grau.
Cast
Russell Crowe as Sammy
Daniel MacPherson as Patton James
Luke Hemsworth as Gabriel Stone
Mojean Aria as Malon
Kelly Gale as Luciana
George Burgess as Neal
Bren Foster as Xavier Grau
Saphira Moran as Nadine James
Amy Shark as Rose
Herb Dean as himself
Production
The film is produced by Broken Open Pictures and is directed by Tyler Atkins; it was originally announced through the working title The Beast in Me. Russell Crowe co-wrote the script with David Frigerio, who will produce alongside Tim O'Hair and John Schwarz. Crowe also leads the cast with Daniel MacPherson. The cast also includes Luke Hemsworth, Mojean Aria, Kelly Gale, George Burgess, Bren Foster, Saphira Moran, and Australian musician Amy Shark, who makes her feature film debut.
One Championship are collaborating with the film. Principal photography took place in Bangkok at the Impact Arena, where ONE 170: Tawanchai vs. Superbon 2 event on January 24, 2025 provided the setting for a key scene. Additional footage was filmed throughout the week-long event.
Release
In October 2025, Grindstone Entertainment Group acquired domestic distribution rights to the film. Beast was released in the United States on April 10, 2026. It was also released in Australia on April 23, by Rialto Distribution.
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of 27 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.0/10.
