free counter with statistics Bradley Cooper Joins The A-Team | Pajiba - Scathing Reviews for Bitchy People

bradley-cooper.jpg
The A-Team Gets Its Face-Man

And Its Hannibal / Dustin Rowles

Trade News | June 9, 2009 | Comments (26)

Now that The Hangover has made Bradley Cooper one of the most viable stars in Hollywood, he’s starting to gravitate to more high profile roles (you can be he’ll get a franchise soon, too). Having already completed a romantic-comedy with Sandra Bullock (All About Steve) as part of his rite of passage into the A-list, Mr. Cooper is now negotiating to star in what’s shaping up to be quite possibly a much better movie than it was a TV show: The A-Team.

Originally, John Singleton was attached to direct, and rumors suggested that Ice Cube would take over the B.A. Baracus role, and we’d get probably a lame action-comedy blend, a cross between Singleton’s 2 Fast 2 Furious and Ice Cube’s bad family comedies (Are We Done Yet?). However, Singleton dropped out, and the reigns were handed over to the more suitable Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin’ Aces), who it would seem would give us a more gritty version of the movie with a slight undercurrent of black humor.

Bradley Cooper’s casting as Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck, by itself, doesn’t guarantee any such thing. Cooper is still best known for his comedic roles, although we know from “Alias” that he’s capable of doing action. However, the combination of Bradley Cooper, Joe Carnahan, and … Liam Neeson, who is in negotiations to play Hannibal, suggests that this A-Team will be a more serious action flick.

And I’m happy with that. Now, they need to just stay away from the more obvious comedic actors to play Murdock, and instead, look more into that character’s psychosis, which itself can be a source of darker humor. I’m thinking: Sam Rockwell. As for B.A. Baracus, I like the currently rumored choice, Common, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ving Rhames.

Neeson is actually a great call; he was actually pretty great in Taken. And he’s suddenly a very popular action hero. In fact, over the last few weeks, I’ve met at least four people who, upon hearing that I reviewed movies, all asked me first what I thought of Taken. It was very generic, but Neeson elevated it quite well.


← Bruce Willis on Letterman Intern | Masi Oka Pens "The Defenders" →



Comments

I’m thinking: Sam Rockwell


Almost seems too obvious, right?

Posted by: Jay at June 9, 2009 10:21 AM

Excellent! FINALLY Hollywood's bastardization of a great cheestastic TV show of my youth DOESN'T make me want to douse my eye sockets with acid!

Posted by: dammitjanet at June 9, 2009 10:23 AM

Nothing will ever make me care about an A-Team movie, not even when my husband forces me to see it.

Posted by: ecp at June 9, 2009 10:30 AM

Liam Neeson, who is in negotiations to play Hannibal

Anybody else hope that there is a scene with a stuffed elephant? I'm just saying....

I can totally see this working as a darker flick. Even if all they would really have to do is make the MacGyverish contraptions closer to reality (similar to Burn Notice) and have the guns actually hit and kill people. Win!

Posted by: Vermillion at June 9, 2009 10:31 AM

Darker is okay for the A-Team but you gotta keep that dysfunctional family dynamic going tween the actors. There has to be a lil levity in the proceedings or else the film will devolve into another extreme action flick, not necessarily a bad thing but not the A-Team.

Posted by: Mr. West at June 9, 2009 10:54 AM

There's no way this movie's gonna be any good. No. Way.

Run, Liam, RUN!!!

Posted by: jimbob at June 9, 2009 11:01 AM

It's reins.

Posted by: Jerce at June 9, 2009 11:08 AM

I think Sam Rockwell would be great as Murdock, my all time favorite member of the A-Team...
and I like Bradley Cooper so that might not be a bad move, casting him as Faceman.
But Liam Neeson as Hannibal??? eh, not sure I get that. How awesome would it be if they got Leslie Nielsen to play Hannibal, totally straight, not Naked Gun-esque at all?? Huh? Huh? no takers? fine. whatever.
What about Snake Doc as Hannibal?

I don't know who Common is (ok, I'd recognize him if I saw him), but I LOVE Ving Rhames [hello, Out of Sight!], so I'm totally ok with him as BA.

Posted by: Stella at June 9, 2009 11:33 AM

Rockwell would be a decent choice, but I honestly believe that Jim Carrey could pull off the role spectacularly. Yes, I know he's made some bad decisions in the past, but I think that if he could combine his performances from "The Mask" (psychotic yet fun loving) and from "Eternal Sunshine" (introspective and serious), he'd just about nail it.

Posted by: alphawhiskey at June 9, 2009 11:36 AM

Even though it'd be totally inappropriate, can you imagine how much fun Nathan Fillion would have with Hannibal? Nathan + Ving + Bradley = hilarity.

Posted by: Stella at June 9, 2009 11:46 AM

As long as they're still drugging B.A.'s milk in order to get him to fly, I'm there.

Posted by: branded at June 9, 2009 12:05 PM

I'm not very hopeful about an A-Team movie. Maybe it will work for someone who has never seen the tv-series but for us who saw it in out childhood it's too iconic.

Posted by: barf at June 9, 2009 12:07 PM

I think it'll be fine as long as they don't do what they did to Starsky and Hutch. If they play it straight it'll be fine - and now that The Unit has been cancelled, I feel a void for stories about a crack commando unit...If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team

Posted by: Stella at June 9, 2009 12:47 PM

How about this:

DON'T make an "A-Team" movie.

Having A-Team as the title will just end up creating expectations that can never be met. Can ANYONE seriously expect any movie with Liam Neeson in it to have ANY sort of humor? The John Hannibal Smith as much comic relief as Mad Murdock. Why not just make an action movie with these same dudes and NOT call it "The A-TEAM"

Once again, what you have are some coked-up Hollywood assclown producers trying to re-imagine shit they never understood in the first place. Remember SWAT? (wouldn't blame you if ya don't)...well this will be like that.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 9, 2009 12:49 PM

Should read: The original John Hannibal Smith was as..

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 9, 2009 12:51 PM

Is it not obvious enough that Clooney should be Hannibal?

Posted by: Eep at June 9, 2009 12:56 PM

Clooney would make a good Hannibal, Eep. But this is such an ensemble cast, I'd be worried he'd overshadow the other characters.

Posted by: Stella at June 9, 2009 1:04 PM

I'm not one of these jingoistic America-firsters, but Hannibal has to be an American. Hasta be -- and not just because the backstory requires that they all served in the same unit during Vietnam (which will be what this time... Gulf War One?) How 'bout we take Michael Biehn out of mothballs?

Posted by: Ned at June 9, 2009 2:04 PM

Quinton Rampage Jackson for BA Barracus. Make it happen Carnahan. Rampage is funny and can instantly turn to scary. Whereas Common's acting blows.

Posted by: Tanner at June 9, 2009 2:25 PM

Who [the fuck] is this "Common" character?

Posted by: Rykker at June 9, 2009 2:26 PM

Who [the fuck] is this "Common" character?

Posted by: Rykker at June 9, 2009 2:26 PM
-------------------------------------------

He's one of them "urban" hip-hoppity persons who thinks blabbering 'tude through a microphone and moving his hands a lot qualifies him as an "actor"....ah, dawg.


Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 9, 2009 2:28 PM

I have an ongoing bet with a friend over which theme-song is more instantly recognizable: The A-Team, or I Dream of Jeannie.

Posted by: Lauren at June 9, 2009 3:57 PM

As long as they fire their guns, blow things up and cause mayhem and kill absolutely no one. Only then will this movie be kick ass.

Posted by: Will at June 9, 2009 5:22 PM

Good call on Rockwell, Schultz was easily the worst part of the TV show cast and I don't think his sitcom crazy schtick would work in a movie. If Rockwell turns up his nose, what about Cillian Murphy?

For BA, Dwayne Johnson makes the most sense to me. He could play the monosyllibic-yet-still-charismatic heavy better than anyone else mentioned. As for Hannibal, I've long held out hope that Harrison Ford could be talked into it, but Neeson seems like a good choice. Just keep Will Ferrell the hell away from this production and it might work.

Posted by: Laughner at June 9, 2009 8:54 PM

If Bradley Cooper met me, he would want to have sex with me. Without a condom. I would say no, of course. He would have to use a condom. At least the first time.

Posted by: Kitty X at June 9, 2009 10:15 PM

I totally thought Bradley Cooper was someone else entirely. Why? Because he's so fucking generic looking. Generically good looking, yes, but generic none the less...

Posted by: redfeathers at June 9, 2009 10:51 PM