Upcoming Movie: The A-Team

Release Date: Unknown; that will depend upon when it gets a greenlight to start filming

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Production Company: Top Cow Productions (comics publisher that's crossing over into movies) (Rising Stars: Born in Fire), The Cannell Company (Stephen J. Cannell, producer of the TV show, is also producing)

Cast: None announced yet.

Cast Notes: (10/6/06) There have been many rumors in the last ten years or so about who could possibly star in this remake, but the first real bit of news is that 'A-Team' creator Steven J. Cannell would like to see Bruce Willis starring as Hannibal Smith (source: IGN FilmForce).

Original Cast: Mr. T (Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus), Dwight Schultz (Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock), Dirk Benedict (Lt. Templeton "Face" Peck), George Peppard (1928-1994) (Col. John "Hannibal" Smith)

Possible Cameos: (11/24/00) Though the original cast members might not return to star, the actors who played B.A. (Mr. T), Face (Dirk Benedict), and Murdock (Dwight Schultz) may appear as cameos (playing someone else). (7/12/02) Talking to UGO, Stephen J. Cannell confirmed that he would like Mr. T to be involved somehow, but not as B.A.

Director: Unknown

Screenwriter: Not announced yet.

Screenwriter Note: (10/6/06) There have reportedly been several screenwriters who have worked on this movie, including Bruce Feirstein, writer of two of the James Bond movies, Kevin Brodbin ('The Glimmer Man', starring Steven Seagal) and Richard Hatem (cowriter of 'Under Siege 2: Dark Territory', also starring... Steven Seagal). A new writer is currently working on the project, but his name hasn't been announced yet.

Based Upon: The NBC TV series (1983-1987) starring Mr. T, George Peppard, Dwight Schultz, and Dirk Benedict about four falsely convicted Vietnam vets who escape from prison, on the run, working as mercenaries.

My Opinion: (11/24/00) The script is probably already written (or being rewritten), but my opinion is that fan favorite Mr. T should be brought back as B.A. as the link between the old team and the new team. B.A. was only a sergeant, so he couldn't be the leader, but I'd still rather see Mr. T as B.A. than someone else acting like Mr. T. It's only right. As long as B.A. is still afraid of flying, of course.

Premise: The A-Team are a quartet of former Gulf War soldiers on the run, who travel the world acting as soldiers of fortune. Here's how the introduction to the TV show put it: "Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... the A-Team."

Filming: Production had been scheduled tentatively to start sometime in the spring of 2001. There's no current word about when this might get started.

Premise Notes: (11/24/00) No details are known about this film's plot yet, except that it will bring the concept into the present day, ostensibly with a new team of military men on the run (and not the original four cast members), probably veterans of the Persian Gulf War. (2/16/04) Mr. Cannell recently confirmed that they will indeed by Gulf War vets (though it's unknown whether he means Gulf War I or Gulf War II). (10/6/06) A few years later, it's likely that the war in question is the current war in Iraq and/or the "War on Terrorism."

Genre: Action, Comedy, Remake

Status: In Development

Message Board: Share your thoughts on our "The A-Team" Message Board

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