Following a wave of mixed reactions to his latest film, Rebel Moon: The Scargiver, visionary director Zack Snyder is gearing up for a new project. This time, however, his lens won’t be capturing the tales of superheroes but rather the raw, gritty world of mixed martial arts. The upcoming movie, titled ‘BRAWLER’, promises to dive deep into the lives of fighters, bringing Snyder’s signature cinematic flair to the cage. The mind behind DC’s Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League is set to direct, write, and produce the film with writers Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten, the duo that also partnered with Synder on ‘Rebel Moon.’

To make this ambitious project a reality, Snyder has teamed up with UFC CEO Dana White and Saudi sports authority leader Sheikh Turki Alalshikh, sealing the deal with a formal handshake that has already sent shockwaves of excitement through the fighting community. Taking to Instagram, His Excellency dropped 3 images. One showed Snyder, White, and himself sharing a table. The other two showed the formal agreement for ‘BRAWLER’.

In the caption, the Saudi Arabian Chairman of GEA wrote, “Proud to announce BRAWLER—a new fight film coming to life 🎬🥊Partnering with the great director Zack Snyder and UFC to tell a story of struggle, sacrifice, and the road to UFC glory. With The Ring Magazine behind it, this is more than a movie, it’s a legacy in the making 🔥.”

In the document shared by His Excellency, Snyder provided his thoughts regarding the world of mixed martial arts. He quoted, “Behind every great fighter is the story of how they got there. UFC is the world leader in combat sports and I’m honored to be partnering with them to tell this incredible story.”

Securing Snyder to direct the film was undoubtedly a major coup for the UFC, but Turki Alalshikh also played a pivotal role in making it happen. A self-proclaimed fan of Snyder’s work, Sheikh Turki praised the filmmaker’s iconic sequences and immersive storytelling that captivate audiences. He also highlighted Snyder’s knack for portraying deeply flawed, complex characters—making him the perfect choice to bring the gritty world of mixed martial arts to the big screen.

“I’ve been a fan of Zack’s work for years, his unique style — from his iconic action sequences to his sweeping visuals and intensely emotional storytelling — coupled with his humanized portrayal of deeply flawed characters is singular, I couldn’t think of a better person to partner with to bring the UFC to the big screen. The Ring Magazine, with its 103-year legacy, will support to ensure the project’s success.”

Recently joining hands with the GEA chairman for his new boxing league, Dana White has been on a roll. Moreover, the sentiment regarding the film was also shared by the UFC head honcho who stated, “Turki Alalshikh and Zack Snyder have a shared vision to create a film about UFC. They are both very passionate about this project to show fans what it takes to become a UFC champion. It’s an incredibly ambitious project and I look forward to seeing it come to life.”

Of course, the fighting community wasted no time in reacting to the big news. After all, it has been a bit too long since we all witnessed a cinematic masterpiece of mixed martial arts. Let’s take a look at what the fight fans had to say!

Dana White, Turki Alalshikh, and Zack Snyder send the fighting realm into a frenzy

Most of the fighting community is still in shock. After all, getting the legendary Zack Snyder to make a film on MMA was nothing short of a dream come true. One fan, in his disbelief, commented, “Unbelievable collab ever 😯 🙌.” Another fan added to the emotions and wrote, “Snyder making a UFC film with Turki and white was not on my 2025 bingo card.” Just imagine the kind of action sequences this film would have. Exciting, right? That’s what the comments section felt. 

While many claimed Snyder was the “best director in the game working on this,” many others had already begun thinking about the story. Some believed that Conor McGregor’s background story would work wonders. One of the comments read, “Get McGregor as the main character ye ya little foooookin muppets 😂.” Meanwhile, a few others asked the team to talk about the rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira. The comment read, “In my opinion, @turkialalshik there’s no better history than @stylebender and @alexpoatanpereira. That would be a great movie, the good part is that Izzy pretty much-documented everything. @danawhite, do it, please. That would be crazy.”

Nevertheless, one thing was common throughout the comments section. The fighting community wanted to watch the movie on a big screen. One of the fans voiced his emotions and wrote, “That’s amazing, hopefully, we can see on the big screen stories like great boxing champions.” Another fan chimed in and commented, “We need theatrical release.” With Dwayne Johnson already filming a film about legendary MMA heavyweight Mark Kerr’s life titled ‘The Smashing Machine’, this latest movie endeavor is only expected to take things to the next level. 

What are your thoughts on the big move by Dana White and Co.? Do you think ‘Brawler’ can find more success than Zack Snyder’s Justice League? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.