devilshalo

Fox assembles 'A-Team'
Carnahan, Scotts join remake set for 2010
By MICHAEL FLEMING

Twentieth Century Fox has assembled a creative team to transform 1980s TV series "The A-Team" into a summer 2010 film.

Studio has set Joe Carnahan to direct and Ridley Scott to produce, with Tony Scott exec producing through their Scott Free banner.

Also producing are Jules Daly and Stephen J. Cannell, the latter of whom created the original TV series.

Carnahan will team with Brian Bloom to polish a script by Skip Woods ("G.I. Joe"). The intention is to start production by June for a June 11, 2010, release.

Fox has struggled to find a way to exploit the branded TV show while avoiding the series' campy tone. Director John Singleton had most recently been attached to such an attempt before dropping out. Woods came in and started over.

"Tony and I feel that marrying this Scott Free project with Joe's sensibility will result in a fast-paced, exciting franchise, one we hope will be around for years to come," Scott said.

Carnahan and the Scott brothers say they will use the original premise of the series as the template for an action film. In the original, four Vietnam vets convicted of armed robbery escape from military prison and became do-gooder mercenaries.

The Middle East will replace Vietnam as the place the four did their tour of duty, but Carnahan said the origin story is the jumping-off point.

"You can ... make a film that reflects on the real world without losing the great sense of fun and the velocity of action in a classic summer popcorn film," Carnahan said.

Carnahan has put his Pablo Escobar film "Killing Pablo" on the back burner. The project was complicated by the bankruptcy filing made by the Yari Film Group.

"I am determined to make that movie there or elsewhere, but it's an interesting time in Hollywood, and you have to be aware when you get the opportunity to step into a business model that is working," Carnahan said, noting that many of the top-grossing studio films are based on branded properties.

"This was a coveted property, and reimagining a show that I remembered as a kid was tough to turn down," Carnahan said. "Fox hired me to make it as emotional, real and accessible as possible without cheesing it up."

Travis McClain

And here I was, content thinking of Burn Notice as an A-Team update. I suspect this will tank at the box office, but move enough DVD's in rentals and discount sales to warrant a DTV sequel later.

stingermck

Why Fox and not Universal?

Charlie Goose

As long as they do it in the same fun spirit of the original series, and not go the Starsky & Hutch route.

Is Ice Cube still involved? Luke Wilson would make a good Faceman.

And nobody better suggest Jack Black as Murdock.

TheNightFlier

I think Jeffrey Donovan would be a good Murdock.

DRG

After Medellín flopped so hard, I'm not surprised.

Bandit03

Some new news that I thought was interesting. Liam Neeson is in talks to play Hannibal and Bradley Cooper is in talks to play Face. You can find the articles here and here. I think both would be perfect for the roles.

stingermck

I agree with both of these

RocShemp

Stop right there. No. You can't polish a script by Skip Woods. A brand new script is required here or the movie will have the biggest piece of shit script ever.

I agree with both of those. Perfect casting choices.

Charlie Goose

I can't see Neeson as Hannibal, it's supposed to be a light role and can Neeson be light?

mdc3000

Neeson can be light - rent Love, Actually.

RocShemp

+1

edstein

I'm really hoping to see Lester Speight (Terry Tate, Augustus Cole) cast as B.A. Baracus. Michael Clarke Duncan seems like another good choice. He just doesn't come across as a badass like Cole does.

freshticles

Put me down for Michael Cera as B.A. Might as well go all out while you fuck up this franchise.

DonnachaOne

Terry Crews should play BA. If you think differently, stop. You're wrong.

Bluelitespecial

My biggest concern is will this be PG-13 or R. With Joel Carnahan directing and Ridley Scott producing, Fox says it wants to avoid the campy tone, it could go for an R rated action flick we haven't seen in the summer in a long time. At least thats what I am hoping for.

devilshalo

I can buy Michael Jai White as BA.

DonnachaOne

Camp-free action within the confines of a PG-13 has been tried and proven.



I also don't see the need to make it terribly graphic just because one can. Bigger, yes. Bloodier, why?

golden_rod

Katee Sackhoff for Faceman.

RocShemp

Exactly who I was thinking about.

Hmm. That'd be an interesting alternate choice.

A The Dark Knight approach would be a terrible idea for this film. They need a tonal combo of Iron Man and M:i-III to make this work.

DVD Josh

I have always like Clooney for Hannibal. Heck, I'd even go for Michael Douglas.

DonnachaOne

I was not suggesting that they do the film like The Dark Knight. I was illustrating that a good film can be made and taken seriously while still conforming to a PG-13 rating.

RocShemp

Ah, okay. Cool. Sorry for the misunderstanding. It's just that almost everyone these days wants ever movie to be like TDK even if it would actually hurt the movie rather than help. That's why I misunderstood you.

Mr. Cinema

I like the choices of Neeson and Cooper. I think Ving Rhames would have made a good choice for B.A.

Sessa17

I've never seen the TV show, but someone today just told me that Liam Neeson signed on for the movie of this. What a waste & I'm quite surprised he would do something like this.