THE DEFIBRILLATOR

[22.14 - French Time] In June The Los Angeles Times reported that Russell Crowe was attached to star in a movie remake of The Equalizer TV series. Now THR reports that screenwriter and director Paul Haggis (Casino Royale) could script and possibly direct this film.

Aired by CBS from 1985 to 1989, The Equalizer starred British actor Edward Woodward as former spy turned New York City vigilante Robert McCall. Robert Lansing played Control, his ex-boss and occasional employer.

Private eye and freelance operative, McCall helped people in dangerous situations. He found his clients through a newspaper ad: "Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer." The Equalizer gave Woodward international recognition years after the role of tormented intelligence hitman David Callan made him a star in the UK with Callan (1967-1972).

According to THR, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch of Escape Artists are producing the film along with Tony Eldridge of Lonetree Entertainment, Mace Neufeld, Alex Siskin and Michael Sloan (who co-created the original with Richard Lindheim).

Apparently The A-Team movie didn't vaccine the Hollywood studios against unneccessary and miscast remakes of 80s cult TV series.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i513cc43382b2c2e30ae2bdb9c6780933?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thr%2Fnews+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+News%29
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/06/equalizer-remake-russell-crowe-woodward.html

STATE OF CLAY

[15.49 - French Time] The Los Angeles Times reports that Russell Crowe is attached to star in a movie remake of The Equalizer.

Aired by CBS from 1985 to 1989, The Equalizer starred British actor Edward Woodward as New York City vigilante Robert McCall. Former spy turned private eye/freelance operative, McCall helped people in dangerous situations. He found his clients through a newspaper ad: "Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer."

Robert Lansing played Control, his former intelligence boss and sometimes employer, and the series was created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim. The Equalizer gave Woodward international recognition years after his character of tormented intelligence hitman David Callan made him a star in the UK with Callan (1967-1972).

Should this news be confirmed, Russell Crowe would add to his filmography another character played originally by a stellar British talent, after the lousy US remake of State of Play - where he was the journo played by John Simm in the BBC miniseries.

After The A-Team movie it's so obvious that we don't have enough unneccessary and miscast remakes of 80s cult TV series.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/06/equalizer-remake-russell-crowe-woodward.html

STATE OF PLAY (US)

http://stateofplaymovie.net/

Remake of the British miniseries with John Simm and David Morrissey. But seriously...