Variety are reporting that Fox Searchlight have picked up the US rights to the toast of this year's Venice Festival, Darren Aronofky's THE WRESTLER.

The film, which stars veteran Mickey Rourke as a wrestler (no less), was picked up at this past week's Toronto Film Festival.

The trade's own Anne Thompson wrote on her blog that "buyers huddled on the street and eventually, made their way to the Four Seasons Hotel to make their bids and pitch their release plans. An Oscar-campaign for Mickey Rourke's rough-and-tumble, vulnerable performance as a wrestler on the ropes was an essential component of the deal."

I for one can't wait to see this film, which is a first for me and an Aronofsky flick. Personally, I have hated his entire cinematic output so far, and yes, that includes REQUIEM FOR A DREAM. Sue me.

THE WRESTLER sounds a bit like ROCKY. It probably is nothing like ROCKY, but it follows Rourke's character, Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, who heads back to the squared-circle one last time for a rematch with his nemesis, the Ayatolla - a bout which could see him joinging the likes of Andre The Giant in the big wrestling ring in the sky.

This'll probably hit toward the end of the year/ early next. By then we'll be hearing chants of Mickey for Best Actor. We'll keep you posted.