Tom Hardy, Gerard Butler, Jason Statham, Liam Neeson & Gary Oldman Eyed For ‘The Professionals’

Now this type of movie sounds promising. And it would be a shame if Gerry wasn't able to do it if offered because of PTF and Mavericks. Sorry, but both of those movies sound mediocre to me.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/2011/03/28/tom_hardy_gerard_butler_jason_statham_liam_neeson_gary_oldman_eyed_for_the/

Tom Hardy, Gerard Butler, Jason Statham, Liam Neeson & Gary Oldman Eyed For ‘The Professionals’
Neil Marshall No Longer Attached To Direct

Does “The Professionals” sound familiar? It might. Last spring, the project first cropped up with Neil Marshall set to direct but since then, word on the project has been quiet. But today, there is fresh life and some big, big names being tossed around as potential leads.

Deadline reports that Lionsgate UK has snatched up the rights to the project and movement is happening to lock down a director and cast with plans to shoot later this year. Based on the Brit cop show, which aired from 1977 to 1983, the story follows an ex-cop and an ex-soldier in a secret law enforcement division called CI5, who use unconventional, sometimes illegal means to fight crimes that can’t be handled by the police. It’s been described as a bit of a British “Starsky & Hutch.” Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins played the original agent pair, with Gordon Jackson as their sour boss. But with this new version looking to raise the stakes and go big, no surprise on the names being tossed around. Tom Hardy, Gerard Butler and Jason Statham are being eyed for agents Bodie and Doyle, while Liam Neeson and Gary Oldman are on the wishlist for the boss.

Now, it should be stressed that none of them are confirmed, and depending on when the film will be shot scheduling is an issue. Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman will be tied up for most of the remaining part of the year in Christopher Nolan‘s “The Dark Knight Rises.” Gerard Butler already has two films in the works for this year, the soccer comedy “Playing The Field” and plans to move on to Curtis Hanson‘s “Mavericks” right after. Liam Neeson just signed on for “Taken 2.” While Jason Statham...well, he’ll basically sign on for anything.

So it’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out. Depending on who directs and who’s interested, we won’t be too surprised if production is moved to accommodate schedules. But it’s pretty clear that producers Callum McDougall (”Casino Royale,” “Quantum Of Solace”) and Richard Whelan (”Captain America: The First Avenger”) have big intentions for the film.

Here's the Deadline article referenced:

http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/lionsgate-uk-remaking-%e2%80%98the-professionals%e2%80%99/#more-117655

Lionsgate UK Remaking ‘The Professionals’
By TIM ADLER in London | Monday, 28 March 2011 15:50 UK

The UK arm of Lionsgate will start pre-production on its big-budget remake of cult 1970s British TV series The Professionals this fall. The action series about secret agents was a hit across Europe and in Australia but never made it to the U.S. The series was hatched by The Avengers creator Brian Clemens and made local stars of actors Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins, who played the agents. Gordon Jackson -- best known as the butler in Upstairs Downstairs -- played their dour Scottish boss. Producer Richard Whelan is now in Los Angeles trying to lock down a director. Lionsgate UK will court Tom Hardy, Gerard Butler and Jason Statham to play secret agents Bodie and Doyle, with Liam Neeson and Gary Oldman on their list to play their boss. Lionsgate UK CEO Zygi Kamasa acknowledges The Professionals is an unknown quantity in brand-happy Hollywood. He said the success of The Expendables and Red shows there’s a market for older action fare. This big-screen version will be an origin story, showing how ex-Spec Ops mercenary Bodie and counter-terrorism detective Doyle unite to work for covert UK security unit CI5. Co-producer Callum McDougall was executive producer on the last two James Bond films and is shooting the Clash of the Titans sequel. Whelan was associate producer on Captain America for Marvel. The Professionals will be Lionsgate UK’s third production after Salmon Fishing in Yemen, currently in post, and the Statham thriller Blitz, due to be released in the UK on May 20. “We really felt there was an opportunity for a bigger British action film,” says Kamasa. “The ambition is to make a powerful commercial movie with the best of British talent.”

Well! This is interesting. I've never seen the series but I do know it has a pretty strong following, still. I can see Gerry doing this. Especially with Jason Statham *swoon*.

it sounds like it would be good, but i'm *still* waiting for the "remake" word to go far, far away and some originality to pop up! what???

sami_stardust wrote:

it sounds like it would be good, but i'm *still* waiting for the "remake" word to go far, far away and some originality to pop up! what???

I'm all for that! But unfortunately, when it comes to Gerry... the word "originality" doesn't always come into play. At the risk of sounding pessimistic, I don't have a lot of hope in Playing the Field. But I guess that's for another thread

Roxy, who's anxiously watching her post count go up. Not liking this Boringly Insane thing LOL!!!!

i know how you feel, rox. i hated being "boringly insane" too!!

Check out the pic at the link of the original actors. Gerry's hair (without hair product) fits right in:

(Edit to add - I just watched the video at the link which has the intro for the original series. OMG. That incredible 70s theme music rules. And the hair....and the clothes.
hahahahahaha.)


http://www.obsessedwithfilm.com/movie-news/lionsgate-to-remake-70s-brit-crime-show-the-professionals-as-feature-film.php

Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Jason Statham & More Wanted For THE PROFESSIONALS


Updated: Deadline have a follow-up on this earlier story claiming producer Richard Whelan is now in L.A. trying to lockdown a cast for the remake with the obvious & usual bunch of names said to be wanted;

Brit actors Tom Hardy, Gerard Butler and Jason Statham are cited (no word on whether they are up for Bodie or Doyle), with vets Liam Neeson and Gary Oldman apparently on the wishlist to play their boss, who was Scottish in the show. The movie will be an origin story depicting how the duo came to work for the CI5.

Statham is probably favourite to end up with one of the roles as he just made Lionsgate UK’s second film to date Blitz, that’s out May 6th, and he is Britain’s box office action star answer to Bruce Willis after all.

As we said below, no director is attached after Neil Marshall (The Descent, Dog Soldiers) exited. Original article follows…


According to a press release that has just landed in my inbox, Lionsgate UK have obtained the rights to The Professionals, the British crime action/thriller series that ran on ITV between 1977 and 1981, and perhaps because of it’s perm haired co-lead (the future Judge John Deed!!) and buddy cop dynamic, was seen as the British answer to the popular U.S. series Starsky and Hutch.

Though having never seen the show, Simon Gallagher informs me that the concept was more The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Created by one of the founding fathers of The Avengers – Brian Clemens – the show starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon Jackson as agents of the fictional “CI5″ – a law enforcement branch run by the Home Secretary to basically use any means necessary to deal with serious crimes that were too dangerous, even for Scotland yard.

Just like it’s popular predecessor The Sweeney, The Professionals has long been seen as a concept ripe for a redo but it’s slightly surprising Lionsgate are intending to produce a feature film and not a new t.v. series. Also baffling is with no director, writer & or cast yet announced, they plan to shoot on location in the U.K. later this year. Slapdash production, much?

Callum McDougall (Clash of the Titans 2, Quantum of Solace) and Richard Whelan (Captain America) will produce via their company Eighth Wonder and their cited intention is to create an “exhilarating, emotionally-charged action-thriller that re-forges the seminal TV series for a new generation”.

The newly modernized Professionals will see;

“ex-Spec Ops Mercenary Bodie and Counter Terrorism Detective Doyle burst back onto screens in this blistering origin story that sees the iconic characters unite in their first mission for covert British Security Unit CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5)”.

I can’t help but think the concept is more ripe for an episodic t.v. series than a feature film but I hope I’m wrong, and I’m sure there will be plenty of actors who were born in the 70′s and 80′s and grew up on re-runs of the show, that will be delighted to throw their hat in the ring for 21st century version of Bodie & Doyle.

sami_stardust wrote:

i know how you feel, rox. i hated being "boringly insane" too!!

Oh man, I really did type INSANE. See what I mean??? LOL!