For a director, wrapping a film rarely feels like a seamless victory lap. And sometimes it feels more like surviving 10 rounds in the octagon.
Australian filmmaker Tyler Atkins, who made his feature directorial debut with the 2022 Australian drama Bosch & Rockit, endured a grueling test of endurance to get his new MMA movie, Beast, across the finish line.
It’s fair to say this film thoroughly kicked the crap out of everyone involved.
Now, more than four years after Atkins first boarded the film, the world will finally see the result.
Set in the high-stakes world of mixed martial arts, Beast stars Daniel MacPherson alongside Russell Crowe, Luke Hemsworth, Kelly Gale, and Bren Foster.
Rialto Distribution will release the film in Australian cinemas on 23 April 2026. And it will hit Stan on 27 May 2026.
Luke Hemsworth plays the shady agent, ‘Gabriel Stone’; Kelly Gale plays the adoring wife, ‘Luciana’; and Daniel MacPherson is the beast, ‘Patton James’. Images: supplied
False starts and A-list lifelines
Filmmaking requires a miracle even in the best of times, but Beast faced its fair share of heartbreaks. The production endured multiple false starts and came within weeks of shooting several times before falling apart.
However, Atkins and his leading man never surrendered. “Dan and I kept reinventing ourselves, kept growing as soulmates on the journey,” Atkins said.
David Frigerio originally wrote the base script and set it in America. The story evolved significantly when Crowe stepped in to do a substantial rewrite, injecting immense heart and soul into the characters.
When the cameras finally rolled, the veteran Oscar-winner brought a 10 out of 10 performance.
Russell Crowe and his beast mate Daniel MacPherson and then giving feedback to director, Tyler Atkins. Image: supplied
Shooting live at ONE Championship
The challenge of authentically creating the atmosphere of an MMA championship bout was daunting.
For starters, somehow staging a 15,000-person stadium presented a massive logistical hurdle. Not keen on VFX or set creation, Atkins researched Volume screens, but the technology proved too complex and expensive for their budget.
Salvation came via combat sports promotion ONE Championship.
The organisation offered the crew a tiny window to shoot during an actual live event. And make no mistake, it was an ambitious and risky play.
Atkins and his cinematographer, Thomas LeBlanco, mapped out a plan to capture their coverage across two days at the empty venue. The plan was to seamlessly blend it with the live stadium crowd and octagon footage from an actual ticketed event. However, they only had a few minutes of shooting to get that full stadium vibe in the can.
Daniel MacPherson, with Demetrius Johnson -aka ‘Mighty Mouse’, former UFC fighter, now ONE FC fighter, and director Tyler Atkin in Bangkok, Thailand. Image: supplied
“One Championship really helped us,” Atkins noted. “They literally made my life so much easier and possible to shoot a fight that feels like you’re in a 15,000-person stadium.”
Broken noses and torn groins
Authenticity drove the production. Atkins worked closely with his cast and martial artist Bren Foster, who choreographed the visceral fight sequences.
Foster has the handy skill set of being both an actor and a multiple-black-belt martial artist. So it was a no-brainer to cast him as MacPherson’s arch nemesis, Xavier Grau.
The actors performed almost all of their own fighting, using doubles only when safety demanded a break.
Amy Shark in her first acting gig, taking on the role of MMA trainer, ‘Rose’. Image: supplied
That commitment carried a steep physical price.
MacPherson, who plays lead character Patton James, transformed his physique entirely for the movie.
The physical toll proved brutally real. “Dan literally broke his nose and tore his groin when we were shooting the final fight,” Atkins recalled. “He couldn’t walk.” Over a year and a half later, MacPherson still carries a limp from the production.
Reaching the final bell
The relentless pressure of the shoot spared no one. Atkins pushed himself to the brink, worked 18-hour days, and ended up in the hospital with vertigo.
Reflecting on the gruelling process, Atkins admitted he experienced moments where he never wanted to make a movie again. Yet, looking back, he remains incredibly proud of a film that tackles universal themes of trauma, forgiveness, and the underdog spirit.
With Beast now heading to local screens, Atkins has already attached himself to his next venture.
He’s going to direct a World War I story titled Truce, written by Stuart Beattie and produced by John Schwarz.
Hopefully, the next time he yells action, no one tears a groin.
Feature image: Beast: supplied