Yes, District 9 is a theatrical hit, and now its 35-year old unknown lead Sharlto Copley is joining the Hollywood big leagues. Twentieth Century Fox confirms that the South African Copley will play the goofy oddball pilot H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdoch in Twentieth Century Fox’s remake of The A-Team from director Joe Carnahan. Also, joining the cast of Liam Neeson (Col. John “Hannibal” Smith), Bradley Cooper (Lt. Templeton “Face” Peck), and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (B.A. Baracas) is Jessica Biel who will portray an ex-flame of Faceman’s. Watchmen’s Patrick Wilson will also be featured as a CIA operative. While the premise of Carnahan’s A-Team will still center on four war vets wrongly convicted of a crime they didn’t commit, the tone will be less silly and more slick. Production has already begun on the Vancouver-based set with the high-octane actioner set to bow next June.
'A-Team' remake casting update: 'District 9' star Sharlto Copley to play Murdoch; Jessica Biel to also star
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Comments (1-15) of 73 Add your comment
I love Sharlto, and every struggling actor in America is currently jealous of this random South African editing guy who they would normally step over on a set. Sweet.
Wrongly convicted of a crime they didn’t commit? Who edits these articles ew? If they were wrongly convicted of the crime then they obviously didn’t commit it!
Guess you never saw the show. This particular phrase is in the original television shows opening.
Opening Narration: “In 1972 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.” I can still hear the narrator’s voice in my head, followed by the blaring of the show’s theme song. I hope they do this right because I loved the show.
You can be convicted of a crime you didn’t commit. Convicted does not mean guilty. You can even be executed for a crime you didn’t commit.
Am I the only one who remembers ‘The Mod Squad’ movie? Yeah … exactly.
Will,
We were posting at the same time and I came THISCLOSE to using “The Mod Squad” as my example. Glad you did.
But do you remember the Mission: Impossible movies?
The Mod Squad? Claire Daines, Giovanni Ribisi and Omar Epps are not exactly Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper and Jessica Biel. I like the Mission Impossible comparison better.
“The A-Team” won’t be “The A-Team” without the silly factor.
I don’t get this. Hollywood takes a drama like “Starsky and Hutch” (yes, in the 1970s it was quite serious) and turns it into a comedy and then takes a comedy-drama like “The A-Team” and makes it into a “slick” drama.
Sheesh.
I agree. The A-Team is pretty silly as it is. A little slicker is okay, but let’s not make it too slick.
Good point. Also, they’ll take a serious but not entirely humorless show like MIAMI VICE, grunge it up, and play it deadly serious to the point that it’s bereft of fun. I don’t mind a slightly more serious tone, but don’t forget the fun. No Michael Bay-style crapfests either, please.
This is a good point, Hannibal was a maverick commander, relying on luck and guile to get the job done. When has Liam Neeson ever portrayed a character with the kind of lightness we saw in George Peppard?
Part of the fun of the A-Team was it’s cheekiness. I mean you don’t have a character like Howling Mad Murdoch because you want to up the dramatic quotient. But don’t get me wrong- I don’t want it to be inane either like the Starsky & Hutch remake.
Good casting except for Biel, and I don’t yet know who Quentin Jackson is. He has some big shoes to fill. But the movie SHOULD have lots of funny stuff in it or it might just become another action flick of the month. Hopefully not.
“Rampage” Jackson is a UFC fighter who can kick ass, but can he act?
Do you think Mr T had a thespian’s ability?
I’ve had a couple of people tell me that Mr. T actually got his start in the tough man contests. Not exactly movie star training, but he’s done pretty good for himself.
Mr. T had done Rocky III when he got the A-Team job, so at least the producers were already aware of his acting ability.
Best of luck to him, he was brilliant in D.9!
I don’t even care if this will suck, it sounds awesome.
Seriously, Liam Neeson in the A-Team? I’m preordering my ticket right now.
Hopefully he won’t fill the role with the same kind of self loathing we saw in Qui Gon Jinn.
Love the Sharlto Copley casting! But why are they going to go screw it up and add Jessica Biel?
Uhm, what about the role of Amy???
Yay for Sharlto!! Loved him in D9, so glad he is getting big movies now. But what is this about making it less silly and more “slick”?! WTF, don’t ruin my beloved A-Team, Hollywood!
sweetness.i am all geeked up about Sharlto landing this MAJOR role.maybe that will make up for having 2 look @ Biel
Rampage is a HUGE personality – if anyone can step up to the task it’s him. This is a brilliant casting move.
awesome! he was amazing in d9!
this is horrible and unacceptable…
Jim Carey should be Murdock and there are better choices out there than Quinten Jackson for B.A…. All this casting says to me is that they didn’t want to spend money signing any big names.
Jim Carey? Are you serious? And Liam Neeson and Jessica Biel are pretty big names, though obviously not superstars. And if Jim Carey were cast in that role, he’d sabotage the movie with his “look at me!” antics.
I’ll wait until I see some more info and a reviews before passing judgement. Though I don’t think it’ll hold up to the original TV series.