Liongate’s new mixed martial arts (MMA) movie, Beast, directed by Tyler Atkins, starring Daniel MacPherson as retired fighter Patton James and Russell Crowe as disgruntled coach Sammy, has landed in theaters and will be released tomorrow, April 10, 2026.
The movie is about a once-feared MMA champion (MacPherson) who is pulled back in for the fight of his life when his younger brother is put in danger. Reuniting with the trainer (Crowe) who once made him a legend, he commits to one final showdown against the reigning title-holder, with whom he has a brutal history.
The bar for MMA movies is — let’s be honest — incredibly low. Outside of Warrior, Here Comes The Boom, and Never Back Down, they are all pretty bad. I mean, last year’s Smashing Machine starring The Rock couldn’t do anything special.
So when something like Beast comes along, you’re not exactly expecting Rocky levels of storytelling or Warrior emotional depth. And while Beast doesn’t completely fall flat on its face, it also doesn’t exactly break new ground either.
You’ve seen this story before. A lot.
The rise, the fall, the redemption arc — it’s all here, packaged neatly inside the ONE Championship universe, which admittedly gives the film a unique coat of paint compared to other MMA-based movies.
At the center of it all is Patton James, played by MacPherson, who ends up being the film’s biggest strength. He’s easy to root for, carries the emotional weight well, and gives the movie just enough heart to keep you invested even when the plot starts feeling overly familiar.
And then there’s Crowe — who, unsurprisingly, is brilliant like always. Whether he’s chewing scenery or delivering quieter moments, Crowe elevates every scene he’s in. On the flip side, Xavier Grau, played by Bren Foster, makes for a solid antagonist. He’s the kind of bad guy you genuinely want to see get his ass kicked, which is exactly what you want in a fight movie.
They need to retcon the last 3 or whatever eps of Kingdom.
That show was phenomenal
I will check it out because of Russell Crowe.
In for if I should see it or not and no spoilers