Bruno's £1m crowdfunding campaign for movie lacks punch, with just over £3,000 pledged

The former heavyweight champion was backing the Kickstarter online fundraising campaign to help get ‘Bruno – The Movie’ off the ground, but in the end just 68 backers contribute £3,220 over the course of the two-month appeal.

The public could pledge between just £1 and £5,000, in return for rewards such as a copy of the script, being an extra in the film, naming a character, or even accompanying Bruno to the premier.

A statement on Bruno’s website admitted the Kickstarter campaign had not lived up to expectations, but vowed that the movie was still very much on.

It said: “We launched Kickstarter as we were advised this was a great way to raise funds and for the general public a chance to get involved in the Frank Bruno movie.

“It would be fair to say this has been a brilliant public relations awareness campaign and it has generated interest from a number of potential film makers large and small, along with some serious investors.

“Concerning raising money Kickstarter has not worked for us. We understand if it had been a project of a few thousand pounds requirement then it would have worked. Sadly a film costs a lot more than that.

“Kickstarter was always going to be working alongside private investment. We thank the members of the public who have made pledges. Frank Bruno the movie is still very much going to happen but we now start the journey talking to the film companies and private investors.”

Work has began on a script - which will chart the highs and lows of his life from his epic fight with Mike Tyson to his intimate battle with bipolar – with a view to shooting a movie in 2017.

David P Davis, known for his work with the BBC on Doctor Who, Merlin, Holby City and Casualty, is busy putting the story together, alongside the 54-year-old boxer.

Investors and film companies interested in the movie, being billed as the “adrenaline of Rocky, mixed with the heart of The Theory of Everything”, can email [email protected]