Even as 3D ticket sales continue to decline in the U.S., there are still a few filmmakers out there trying to find interesting new ways to use the technology. Ang Lee found success with the use of 3D in Life of Pi, and although the VFX house behind the movie filed for bankruptcy last year, the movie was still a box office success for 20th Century Fox (it did extremely well overseas). Now he is looking to use 3D again for his next movie, which will be his very first sports drama. The as-of-yet untitled project is described as “an epic look at the boxing world of the 1960s and 1970s, as seen through the prism of its biggest rivalries and greatest fights.” The film’s major selling point is the fact that the fights will all be recreated in 3D.

According to Deadline, Ang Lee has set up the boxing movie at Universal Pictures with Peter Morgan (The Queen, Rush) attached to write the script. Lee’s longtime producing partner James Schamus (Hulk, Brokeback Mountain) will produce. The movie will supposedly focus on iconic fights like the Thrilla in Manila featuring Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

It’s an intriguing idea, although at this point it’s unclear how the narrative will tie everything together. It’s also unclear if they will be re-appropriating footage from the classic fights in some way. I can picture this playing more like a Fight Night video game unless they find a way to build a story out of all these random fights. Still, if you’re a fan of boxing (particularly in the good ol’ days), this should be an exciting proposition. What do you think, does this idea have potential or should Ang Lee just stop fiddling around with 3D?