EXCLUSIVE: MMA Champion and The A-Team star Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has joined forces with multi-hyphenate Joel Silverman to launch Rampage ‘n J Productions, a new production company that will focus on Silverman’s specialty — biopics, book-to-screen adaptations, and TV dramas, particularly in the area of crime.
Based in West Los Angeles, the company will also focus on launching Jackson’s action comedy film and TV career. Heading development for Rampage ‘n J is VP Kylie Lewis, a former creative exec at DC. During his time there, the USC film school alum worked on the John Cena series Peacemaker and upcoming The Penguin with Colin Farrell for Max.
Silverman explained that he first approached Jackson back in 2018 with the idea of doing an antibullying show for kids called Rampage to the Rescue, in which Jackson and a child psychologist travel to and remedy bullying situations throughout the U.S.
“We’re still gonna do that show,” said Silverman. “We just bonded like brothers – brothers from very different mothers. I realized everyone loves Ram. He’s just a star. He’s smart, super kind and hilarious. Cracks us all up with his impressions of anyone from a surfer boy to his grandmother. I’ve watched him call his father and put on a voice pretending to be a woman he dated 40 years ago. And Dad believed it.”
Silverman added that he’s finishing a script called Alpha Fam, a buddy action comedy “for Ram’s post-fighting screen debut,” and hopes for Michael Cera to star with him.
“My boy J’s a genius and he’s been fam for years, so now that my fighting career is near its end, I’m excited to bounce into the acting and producing ring,” said Jackson in a statement to Deadline. “Getting to work with Liam [Neeson] and Bradley [Cooper] right off the bat got me hooked. They’re the best actors and even better dudes.”
Jackson added that he’s “approaching acting like I do MMA. Used to training every day. That means acting classes, a coach, whatever it takes to be the best I can be.”
A Humanitas and WGA Award nominee, Silverman has had a series of multi-studio bidding for his scripts, setting up Garo at Disney with Jerry Bruckheimer producing, Undefeated with Universal and Scott Stuber, and Fly with Fox 2000 and Ed Zwick. Previously, the scribe also turned two Harper Collins YA books into bidding war scripts: Liberty, which landed with Fox 2000 and Wyck Godfrey, and Anatomy of a Misfit for Paramount with the late Allison Shearmur. His series pitch March to Madness with Don Cheadle was bought in the room by FX’s John Landgraf.
Silverman also wrote and directed the romantic drama Nailed, starring Rachel Blanchard and Harvey Keitel, and wrote the drama After Words starring Marcia Gay Harden and Jenna Ortega. Prior to his time in showbiz, he was an Associated Press award-winning police reporter, writing for dailies including The Washington Post.
A UFC Light Heavyweight Champion with a career mark of 38-14 that saw him crush the likes of Chuck “The Iceman” Liddel, Jackson starred opposite Neeson, Cooper and Sharlto Copley in Joe Carnahan’s take on The A-Team released in 2010, taking on the role of B.A. Baracus, played previously by Mr. T. Previously, he’s also been seen in films like The Midnight Meat Train, Boss Level and Fire with Fire, among many others.
Jackson is repped by Penzi Management and attorney Robert Galarza; Silverman by Original Artists.
