The A-Team: Big-Screen Action Movie Finds a Director

John Singleton is reportedly looking to direct the big-screen adaptation of the 1980s NBC action series The A-Team. The project’s been in the works for some time and, like many adaptations of TV shows, seemed to be lost in the studio system.

The movie’s apparently gone through several screenwriters over the years including Bruce Feristein who wrote a draft of the script back in 2004. The latest version has been penned by relative newcomer Jayson Rothwell.

Like the A-Team TV series, the movie will revolve round a group of military veterans. The band of brothers seeks to help those in need while they’re being pursued for a crime they didn’t commit. Oil tycoons and laser technology apparently also figure into the movie plot as well. In the new version, the group will be veterans of the Iraq War rather than Vietnam. Though the studio hasn’t said as much, if the film’s a box office hit, a new action franchise will surely follow.

Casting is underway but none of the main roles have been decided as yet. Ice Cube, who starred in Singleton’s big debut Boyz N the Hood, has been rumored to be in line to play Mr. T’s character, B.A. Baracas, but 20th Century Fox has denied this. Series creator Stephen J. Cannell is a producer on the movie along with Spike Seldin. Marc Silvestri and Alex Young are both executive producing.

There’s no word at this early stage if any of the surviving castmembers will appear in the new movie (George Peppard died in 1994). Awhile back, Cannell said that he would like the old cast to be involved. Mr. T once said that he had no interest but, with a quality director at the helm, who knows? We’ll keep you posted so stay tuned!