Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the eponymous 2018 documentary directed by Andrew Renzi, Hulu’s ‘They Fight’ is an action sports drama movie directed by Sheldon Candis. The narrative centers on a reformed ex-convict named Walt Manigan, who returns home, determined to get his life back on track so that he can reconnect with Ketta, his partner and the mother of his toddler son. Hoping to redeem himself, he comes across the opportunity to work at a place he promised he would never enter again — the boxing gym linked to his dark past. The boxing gym is inside a local Washington, DC, youth recreation center that is on the verge of closing.
He decides to confront his past and reconnects with his former mentor, Slim, with whom he embarks on a mission to train a motley crew of teenage boys fighting their personal battles. Quincey, Twin, and Peanut are three of the adolescent boxers determined to fight at the upcoming Junior National Boxing Championship, with the unwavering support of their mentor, Walt. The tale of grit and fighting spirit unfolds primarily at the local youth gym in Washington, DC, where Walt and his students thrive.
They Fight Filming Locations
The production of ‘They Fight’ was carried out in Maryland and Washington DC. Filming on the action drama commenced in October 2025 and carried on for a few weeks before wrapping up around mid-November of the same year. According to reports, production in Maryland not only created employment opportunities by hiring around 375 people in the cast and crew but also contributed approximately $9.4 million to the state’s economy through the use of goods and services provided by local businesses.
Baltimore, Maryland
‘They Fight’ was filmed primarily in the city of Baltimore in Maryland. The team moved across several parts of the historic port city to paint the visual canvas of the inspirational sports movie. Interestingly, director Sheldon Candis and one of the producers, Jason Michael Berman, originally hail from Baltimore. In a conversation with Business Maryland, Jason expressed their excitement to bring the narrative to life in their hometown. He stated, “Sheldon and I were both thrilled to be able to come back to our hometown of Baltimore and make our new movie together, which is an inspirational sports story that we hope gives audiences hope.”
While sharing the overall filming experience, he also highlighted the supportive production environment. “The crew in Baltimore was great and the State and City government agencies were extremely helpful to work with,” Jason mentioned. From what we can tell, all the professionals had a great time on set and left with a bag full of unforgettable memories, lasting connections, and an experience they would cherish deeply.
Washington, DC
Alongside Maryland, the cast and crew also visited the bordering city of Washington, DC, nestled on the Potomac River. For the purpose of shooting, many spots in the country’s capital were likely chosen as filming locations. Over the years, the federal state has established itself as a popular filming site. In addition to ‘They Fight,’ it has also hosted the production of titles of varying genres and scale, such as ‘Along Came a Spider,’ ‘State of Play,’ ‘Enemy of the State,’ ‘In the Line of Fire,’ and ‘All the President’s Men.’
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