 | UK cult TV series The Professionals set for big screen debut |
The Professionals introduced UK TV viewers to Doyle and Brodie, officers of CI-5- a special crime-fighting division charged to deal with special cases deemed too dangerous for the regular police. A contemporary police drama to the Sweeney, the series was conceived by Avengers series creator Brian Clemens and ran a successful 5 seasons on ITV, a rival channel to the Beeb.
Apparently director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, Descent, Doomsday) had been planning to adapt the ITV series as a feature film, but has lost out to Lionsgate Films and executive producers Callum McDougall and Richard Whelan both of whom have already made significant action films in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and the upcoming Marvel Comics movie Captain America: The First Avenger.
Martin Shaw (Doyle), Lewis Collins (Bodie) star in the Professionals
Professionals revived on big screen
(UKPA) – 6 hours ago
Seventies TV hit The Professionals is to be revived for a movie version by the team behind Daniel Craig's 007 films and Captain America.
The series originally starred Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins, who would inevitably bounce across the bonnet of a Ford Capri as they intercepted a gang of villains.
Now producers are promising to reinvent the concept to make "an exhilarating, emotionally-charged action-thriller that re-forges the seminal TV series for a new generation".
The film will see the return of British military-trained mercenary Bodie and former detective Doyle, who work for the covert security unit CI5.
Cast have not been announced but it will be filmed later this year.
Callum McDougall - the executive producer of Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace - and Richard Whelan, one of the executives behind the forthcoming Captain America, will produce the film.
The violent series - which also starred Gordon Jackson as CI5 boss Cowley - ran from 1977 to 1983 and was created by writer Brian Clemens.
Whelan said: "To take this 70s TV classic and launch it on to the big screen is a dream come true."
McDougall and Whelan's company Eighth Wonder has teamed up with another production firm Lionsgate UK.
Lionsgate chief executive Zygi Kamasa said: "This production will combine the wit and fast-paced action of the original TV series but also completely reinvent it for a new, modern audience and we're really looking forward to working with talented producers Callum and Richard on the film."
The Professionals original series trailer
watch?v=Kahr5-EwtpU
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