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An Emotional Boxing Biopic Overcame an Early Knockdown

For three months, Ryan Destiny had trained to portray Claressa Shields, the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, in the biopic “The Fire Inside.” There was a screenplay by Barry Jenkins, the director of “Moonlight,” and an Oscar-nominated cinematographer, Rachel Morrison, making her feature directorial debut.

But after two days of filming in March 2020, production was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic. Universal Pictures ultimately decided to drop the movie.

When Destiny learned about the studio’s decision, she cried.

“I was so heartbroken because I know how rare an opportunity like this is,” said Destiny, 29, who was previously on the television series “Star” and “Grown-ish.” “And I just felt like, ‘Of course this will happen when I finally get in the door a little bit with a role that is so vulnerable and raw and real and will touch people.’”

About four years after the movie was dropped, “The Fire Inside” — now distributed by Amazon MGM Studios — is set to release in theaters on Christmas. It premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, which can help give a movie buzz entering awards season.