Matt Baron/Shutterstock

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winner Halle Berry is making her directorial debut with Bruised, a mixed martial arts action drama in which she’s also starring. Berry, currently in production on John Wick 3 starring opposite Keanu Reeves, will reteam with John Wick producer Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road Pictures, who is also producing Bruised along with Entertainment 360 and Linda Gottlieb.

Written by Michelle Rosenfarb, the plot follows Jackie “Justice,” a disgraced MMA fighter who has failed at the one thing she’s ever been good at – fighting. When 6-year-old Manny, the son she walked out on years ago, returns to her doorstep, Jackie has to conquer her own demons, face one of the fiercest rising stars of the MMA world, and ultimately fight to become the mother this kid deserves.

Berry will work with the team that does the fight choreography for the John Wick franchise.

Production starts next year in March, with Riverstone financing and Erica Lee serving as exec producer. The film is developed with the EIS company.

Berry made history as the first (and currently the only) black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in 2001’s Monster’s Ball. It was recently announced that she’ll star in Sony’s remake of the 1985 thriller Jagged Edge.

She’s repped by Management 360 and WME.