ROTTEN TOMATOES: John Singleton Promises Classic '80s "Man's Movie" Action for The A-Team

John Singleton Promises Classic '80s "Man's Movie" Action for The A-Team

Wants Woody Harrelson to play "Howlin' Mad" Murdock.

by Jeff Giles | January 14, 2008

Maybe Ice Cube had better hold off a bit on getting that mohawk for The A-Team. Woody Harrelson, though? He's got a part ready for the taking.

So says director John Singleton, who found himself standing next to Collider's Frosty in a valet line last Friday, and was gracious enough to spend a few minutes talking about his plans for Fox's big-screen adaptation of the '80s television hit. While not specifically addressing rumors of Ice Cube stepping into Mr. T's gold chains as B.A. Baracus, Singleton did say the following:

"I don't know who is in the cast yet, so all this...saying who is this person and who is...nobody is playing Mr. T -- the character's name is B.A. Baracus, he will have a Mohawk and there is a moment in the movie where he actually gets the Mohawk cause he's going crazy. And I don't know who is in the cast yet...but I do know that the only person I want right now is, that I really, really want is Woody Harrelson to play Murdock -- the guy who is crazy but he's kind of real smart, a jack of all trades. That's the only person I really, really want."

Harrelson as "Howlin' Mad" Murdock. Pretty perfect, no?

Singleton also identified the writers responsible for the script's most recent rewrite (Michael Brandt and Derek Haas), and took pains to clarify his vision for the movie's overall tone:

It's not a comic movie farce like Starsky and Hutch, it's kind of in the tradition of the '80s action pictures, the man's movies like Die Hard, Predator, Commando, or even Lethal Weapon...The action is very serious, but there is humor. That's what we are going for.

Finally (and unsurprisingly), anyone who signs on will need to agree to a multi-picture deal, as Singleton and the studio are eyeing The A-Team as a potential franchise. How does some sequel money sound, Woody?

Source: Collider

Related Items

Movie:	Commando
	Starsky & Hutch
	Predator
	Lethal Weapon
	Die Hard
Celeb:	Mr. T
	Woody Harrelson
	Ice Cube
	John Singleton
	Michael Brandt
	Derek Haas

(1-20 of 33 posts) | Reply

John Z. Delorean writes:
on Jan 14 2008 06:41 AM

Woody as Howling Mad, Michael Jai White or if he can grow hair Terry Crews as Mr. T. Paul Walker as Face and Greg Kinnear as Hannibal.

(Reply to this)

Astr0creep writes:
on Jan 14 2008 06:55 AM

Just to piss off Dirk Benedict I'd make Faces a woman...

(Reply to this)

John Z. Delorean writes:
on Jan 14 2008 07:12 AM

In reply to this comment (#1466659)
Then it's Sienna Miller as Face

(Reply to this)

Astr0creep writes:
on Jan 14 2008 07:27 AM

loll

(Reply to this)

opTIMus Nerd writes:
on Jan 14 2008 07:43 AM

Ugh...This is as exciting to me as the "Honeymooner's" movie they released.

(Reply to this)

Gimy writes:
on Jan 14 2008 08:08 AM

wow...ALREADY talking a franchise huh?? that spells doom...

this, TO ME at least, is creeping up and might get into the dreadfulness of the Justice League movie if it keeps this pace. it just wreaks of a big mistake.

(Reply to this)

TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Jan 14 2008 08:17 AM

Yeah, it'd be funny to make Face a woman ('s been done, AND to Dirk Benedict, no less-- 'Starbuck' is a chick in the truly AMAZING Battlestar Galactica series), but they really shouldn't. This is a 'dude' story. Keep it as dudes.

Woody Harrelson might've been cool about ten or fifteen years ago. I think he's a little too old (46, according to IMDB) especially if they're thinking of a franchise. If Harrelson IS an acceptable age, though, then you really need to go with Jim Carrey. He pretty much played Murdock for the first decade of his career, for chrissakes. I'd be willing to bet he lists Dwight Schultz (original Murdock) as one of his influences for Ace Ventura.

(Reply to this)

Kevlegs writes:
on Jan 14 2008 08:46 AM

Nooooooooooooo Jim Carrey, too obvious of a choice. Someone like, Sam Rockwell perhaps,

I want to know who will play Frankie Santana?

I wonder if Tim Dunigan wants another stab at Faceman?

(Reply to this)

lestatthevampire writes:
on Jan 14 2008 09:16 AM

Seriously... isnt there a strike going on?

(Reply to this)

dougwall10 writes:
on Jan 14 2008 09:55 AM

I pity the fool that don%u2019t watch my movie

(Reply to this)

DON OF THE D.E.D writes:
on Jan 14 2008 10:03 AM

Like I said before, Hannibal: Bruce Campbell, Ving Rhames : B.A Baracus, Jim Carrey: Murdock, James Marsden : Face.

(Reply to this)

tomwaitsjr writes:
on Jan 14 2008 11:03 AM

There's a great actor with advanced Down Syndrome that should be Face.

(Reply to this)

taran72 writes:
on Jan 14 2008 11:27 AM

There some inspired casting choices here, so I won't add to them. Ice Cube would look pretty damn funny with a mohawk. I think Singleton is a good director to do this right, although as usual I discourage 99% of all remakes, and this is one of them.

(Reply to this)

VibTDog writes:
on Jan 14 2008 11:52 AM

Steve Carell as Face
Tommy Tiny Lister Jr. as B.A
Vince McMahon as Hannibal

I dont know who would be good to play Murdock, neither do I really care.

(Reply to this)

rsav1976 writes:
on Jan 14 2008 12:38 PM

Kevin Bacon playing all 4 parts.

(Reply to this)

rle4lunch writes:
on Jan 14 2008 01:02 PM

Hillary 'Hannibal' Clinton- Manly and diabolical enough to play
BA 'Barack' Baracus- Crazy enough to cite Shakespeare in one speech, and beat fool's down in another
Eddie 'Faceman' Edwards- Vain enough to worry about his hair every 15 minutes.
Dennis 'Mad Murdock' Kucinich- Just plain crazy.

(Reply to this)

IAmQueensBlvd writes:
on Jan 14 2008 01:07 PM

How about getting the cast of Seinfeld to play the roles? 90s icons playing 80s icons?
Seinfeld - Hannibal
George - BA
Elaine - Face
Kramer - Murdock
and also featuring:
Newman - Col. Decker

(Reply to this)

rle4lunch writes:
on Jan 14 2008 01:09 PM

seinfeld cast= a team movie= pure genius. blockbuster.

(Reply to this)

TheGreatOne13 writes:
on Jan 14 2008 02:25 PM

Vinc McMahon as Hannibal..AWESOME..lol

(Reply to this)

jmo2ski writes:
on Jan 14 2008 03:49 PM

Ving Rhames as B.A. HANDS DOWN!

(Reply to this)

RottenTomatoes.com