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. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCFVEvZvo3g