Award Winning Producer Chad A. Verdi Announces the Signings of Aaron Eckhart and Miles Teller to His Next Feature Film, BLEED FOR THIS, Story of Vinny Pazienza

EAST GREENWICH, RI--(Marketwired - Feb 3, 2014) - Chad A. Verdi, President and CEO of Verdi Productions, located in East Greenwich, RI is pleased to announce an update on his next feature film, BLEED FOR THIS.

BLEED FOR THIS tells the true-life story of 5-time world champion Rhode Island boxer Vinny Pazienza as he recovers from a near fatal car accident that left him with a broken neck. He then goes on to win three additional world boxing titles, one of the most incredible and dramatic comebacks in sports history.

Golden Globe nominated actor Aaron Eckhart, (THE DARK KNIGHT, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, I, FRANKENSTEIN) will take on the role of Paz's boxing trainer, Kevin Rooney. Rooney was the trainer to Mike Tyson when Tyson won his first heavyweight championship. Rooney had a major role in changing Vinny's boxing style that lead him to become one of only two boxers ever to win titles in the lightweight and junior middle weight class in 1991. The other boxer was Roberto Duran who Vinny fought twice with victories for Vinny in both fights.

Miles Teller (THE SPECTACULAR NOW, 21 & OVER, PROJECT X), currently starring in THAT AWKWARD MOMENT, in theaters now, will take on the role of Vinny Paz.

The powerhouse team is led by writer/director Ben Younger (BOILER ROOM, PRIME), Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese (THE DEPARTED, GOODFELLAS), Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK), Emma Tillinger Koskoff (THE DEPARTED, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET), Noah Kraft (LOOSIES) and award-winning RI producer Chad A. Verdi (LOOSIES, A BET'S A BET, BAD HURT).

Verdi's home-grown East Greenwich company, Verdi Productions/Woodhaven Production Company, has produced six feature films in Rhode Island over the past four years. BLEED FOR THIS is his most ambitious project to date, with an estimated budget between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000.

Verdi stated, "My producing partners Noah Kraft, my wife Michelle, and I got involved in the film business in 2009 with one purpose: to have the story of Vinny Paz told. The best thing that ever happened to this project was Ben Younger coming on board to write and direct BLEED FOR THIS. BLEED FOR THIS is Ben's vision and with the support of Martin Scorsese, Bruce Cohen and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, this film is destined for greatness. I was introduced to Martin and Emma through Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who has been instrumental in helping me develop these projects."  Verdi added, "Writer/director Tom DeNucci will be brought on board as a consultant to the project. Tom will be working directly for me over the next several months in order for us to be ready to shoot sometime this summer."