The A-Team News

Fresh off a starring turn in District 9, Sharlto Copley is officially joining the A-list.

How? By joining the cast of the A-Team movie.

The South African actor will portray the odd pilot H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdoch in Twentieth Century Fox’s remake of The A-Team series. He joins a cast that already includes:

• Liam Neeson (Col. John “Hannibal” Smith)
• Bradley Cooper (Lt. Templeton “Face” Peck)
• Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (B.A. Baracas)

Also, Jessica Biel has been added to the cast. He'll play Faceman's ex-girlfriend.

Sorry, Tyrese Gibson. We spoke too soon when we anointed you as B.A. Baracus in The A-Team movie.

Instead, Great Britain's The Sun reports that UFC fighter Quintin "Rampage" Jackson has landed the sought after role. It was originated, of course, by Mr. T.

Jackson is a mixed martial artist and a former UFC Light-Heavyweight champion. This will be his first major acting role.

Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper - as Hannibal and Face, respectively - will star alongside Jackson in the Ron Singleton-directed remake of this iconic TV series. It will be released in 2010.

Producers of the upcoming A-Team movie might be ready to play The Game.

According to various sources, rapper The Game is a frontrunner to land the role of B.A. Baracus in director Joe Carnahan's movie, based on the 1980s TV show that starred Mr. T in this role.

Liam Neeson has already agreed to portray John "Hannibal" Smith, while Bradley Cooper will likely take on the character of Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck. The studio is planned for a June 11, 2010 release date.

The Game has actually acted before. He starred in Street Kings and Waist Deep.

Ice Cube is also being considered for the tole of Baracus.

According to Variety, 20th Century Fox is far along in assembling a creative team to transform the 1980s TV series The A-Team into a summer 2010 blockbuster.

Here's what the studio has lined up so far:

• Joe Carnahan will direct;
• Ridley Scott will produce, with Tony Scott serving as executive producer;
• The goal is to start production by June, with the goal of a June 11, 2010, release date.

On the television show, four Vietnam veterans convicted of armed robbery escape from military prison and became do-gooder mercenaries.

On the big screen, The Middle East will replace Vietnam as the locale The A-Team did their tour of duty, but the origin story will remain the starting point.

There may be no date set to begin shooting on the Jonh Singleton-directed A-Team movie - but when the former teleivision show is adapted to the big screen, you can expect Tyrese Gibson to be a part of it.

And the former model has made no secret about the role he'll take on.

“It’s B.A. Baracus,” Gibson confirmed to MTV News. “I haven’t officially signed on — everything is still on standby — but the conversations coming my way feel right. I’m gonna try to put my touch on [the character]. I mean, I got the muscles!”

Those muscles will be on full display in Tyrese's next movie, Death Race. It opens on August 22.

While Ice Cube had been rumored for the role of B.A. Baracus in the upcoming A-Team movie, talk is now turning to Tyrese Gibson for the part.

CHUD chatted with the Transformers star during a set visit for the action-horror movie Legion. Gibson said he's excited about the prospects of succeeding Mr. T as Baracus, but added that there's no deal yet for the movie.

Tyrese even said he'd go the mohawk route if need be.

Can you picture Tyrese Gibson in the role of B.A. Baracus?

Other rumored cast members for The A-Team movie include Bruce Willis as Col. Hannibal Smith and Woody Harrelson as "Howling Mad" Murdock.

The rumors are truly a reality: The A-Team movie has been given a release date.

Look for Hannibal and company to hit the big screen on July 12, 2009.

The film, based off the 1980s TV show of the same name, will be directed by John Singleton from a script by the writing team of Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. Casting for the film hasn't been announced, but Woody Harrelson and Ice Cube have been rumored for two of the leads.

For those somehow unaware, The A-Team follows the exploits of a team of ex-special forces soldiers who go on the lam after being accused of crimes they didn't commit.

Director John Singleton recently opened up to Collider.com about his plans for The A-Team movie.

Among other interesting tidbits, Singleton said he wants Woody Harrelson to portray Murdock, which we think would be a perfect choice.

Here's an excerpt from the interview, during which the director discusses his plans for the remake of this classic television show:

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

I don't know who is in the cast yet, so all this bullshit of who is saying who is this person and who is… nobody is playing Mr. T â€" 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 â€" 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.

Read the full interview with Singleton now.

John Singleton and Ice Cube first teamed on the former's directing debut, Boyz N the Hood.

Now, they may make for a fighting duo again in The A-Team movie.

The rapper acknowledged that he has been approached about the role, but doesn't know if he'll land it or not.

"They want me to do it if all the business works out right," Cube said. "I was a fan as a kid and that would be, not a dream come true, but it's definitely a good thing to do and I would put it on my resume for sure."

According to a highly trusted source, John Singleton has come aboard to direct The A-Team movie!

The film has been in development for years, but only now is it finally gaining momentum. We'll let you know if this rumor becomes fact, but it would be quite exciting, wouldn't it?

The A-Team television show ran from 1983-1987 and starred George Peppard and Mr. T. It was centered around an unofficial team of Vietnam veternss wanted by the military for a crime they didn't commit.

Their action-packed adventures were a mixture of helping the innocent while running from the law themselves. You've got the theme song stuck in your head now, don't you?