The Equalizer

[Hunter Rider]

Odds Against You? Call The Equalizer


Source: Variety
April 19, 2005




The 1980s CBS drama The Equalizer is headed to the big screen, reports Variety. Mace Neufeld, one of the producers of Sahara and the catalyst behind the series of adaptations of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan books, is teaming with series creator and executive producer Michael Sloan and Tony Eldridge on the project.

Created by Sloan and Richard Lindheim, the series starred British actor Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, a veteran covert operative who, seeking redemption for his dark deeds, quits a CIA-like agency and puts an advertisement in the paper that reads simply: Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer."

The series ran from 1985-89

 

[C. Lee]

I can see it getting the big screen treatment. The series was good....inventive and suspensful....interspersed with nice action.

 

[Immortalfire]

I recall that show..

 

[Steelsheen]

i loved that show glad to see that there would finally be a big screen version of it.

are they getting Woodward again? he was really good. i hope they get him or somone as good as him.

 

[Kable24]

I loved that show when I was younger. They better get a British guy to be the main character. Jack Davenport maybe?

 

[Caliber]

Sounds interesting.

 

[That-Guy]

A big screen version of this show could really be cool. Anthony Hopkins, dammit!

 

[Hunter Rider]

A big screen version of this show could really be cool. Anthony Hopkins, dammit!

pretty goo idea ,he may be a bit old though.Casting is very important in this as Woodward had tremdous presence .Perhaps Liam Neeson ?

 

[Caliber]

pretty goo idea ,he may be a bit old though.Casting is very important in this as Woodward had tremdous presence .Perhaps Liam Neeson ?

Neeson would be great. Finally not a father/role model type of role that he could do.

 

[logan_weapon_x]

Oh for **** sake. I loved the series, but christ, is there any, and I mean ANY sense of originality anymore in hollywood.

 

[Lazarus440]

Oh for **** sake. I loved the series, but christ, is there any, and I mean ANY sense of originality anymore in hollywood.

no.

 

[terry78]

People hate the tv to movie translations, but I look forward to a few of them, just to see what kind of spin they put on it. I'm waiting for MacGyver, which should be announced any day now. Watch him create a satellite dish out of three paper clips, some Reynolds Wrap, and a rubber band.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Actors I'd like to see considered for this:

Terence Stamp
Patrick Stewart
Gordon Pinsent
Henry Czerny
Jonathan Pryce

 

[PoppaRotzi]

Actors I'd like to see considered for this:

Terence Stamp
Patrick Stewart
Gordon Pinsent
Henry Czerny
Jonathan Pryce

I think the previously announced Anthony Hopkins is the best choice---this guy could really do something great with this role. And I hope they bring back Stuart Copeland's choppy music score...that was half of the fun of the old show.

 

[Lord Blackbolt]

Sean Connery.

There's no way they'll let those other actors star. No Box office stars like Sean. Maybe Patrick Stewart.

 

[Caliber]

Sean Connery.

There's no way they'll let those other actors star. No Box office stars like Sean. Maybe Patrick Stewart.

Hell yeah Connery would be perfect.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=12192

nstein Co. Gets Even with The Equalizer

Source: The Weinstein Company
December 1, 2005



The Weinstein Company has acquired the rights to develop and produce a feature film based on the original hit television series The Equalizer in which Robert McCall, a veteran covert operative seeking redemption for his darker exploits, quits a CIA-like agency and puts an advertisement in the newspaper that reads; Got a problem? Odds against you? Call The Equalizer. The announcement was made today by Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company.

Mace Neufeld (The Sum of All Fears, Sahara and Clear and Present Danger), Tony Eldridge and Michael Sloan will serve as producers on the film. The rights were acquired from Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim, the original creators of the television series The Equalizer. Eric Robinson and Brenden Deneen will oversee production on behalf of The Weinstein Company. No director or cast has been attached to the project yet.

Harvey Weinstein stated, "'The Equalizer' was one of my favorite TV series in the 1980's because the writing was always smart and very unpredictable. I am really excited about developing and producing this film."

Michael Sloan said, "Tony Eldridge and I are thrilled to be working with two legendary filmmakers like Harvey Weinstein and Mace Neufeld. 'The Equalizer' is a character we believe will resonate strongly with today's audience; a man of style and compassion using skills as an ex-covert agent to help ordinary people in trouble."

Mace Neufeld said, "I have been looking for a big franchise series to follow-up on my Tom Clancy films. 'The Equalizer' perfectly fills the bill."

The original hit television drama series The Equalizer starred Edward Woodward and Robert Lansing and ran on CBS from 1985-1989.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=12915

Paul McGuigan Helming The Equalizer

Source: Variety
January 27, 2006



The Weinstein Company has set its Lucky Number Slevin director Paul McGuigan to helm The Equalizer, the big screen adaptation of the TV drama that starred Edward Woodward.

The story will be a contemporized take on the New York-set drama, reports Variety.

The film is produced by Mace Neufeld, Tony Eldridge and Michael Sloan; the latter created the drama with Richard Lindheim. The series ran from 1985-89 on CBS.

McGuigan said there is no thought of making the title character younger.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=13850

Paul McGuigan on The Equalizer

Source: Edward Douglas
March 29, 2006

Scottish director Paul McGuigan first got attention from UK cinephiles with his early indies The Acid House and Gangster No. 1, the latter finding him a small cult following here in the States.

Next week, McGuigan's new crime drama Lucky Number Slevin, starring Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman and Sir Ben Kingsley, hits these shores, and he was telling ComingSoon.net how he wasn't a big fan of violence, which made us wonder what he was planning to do for his film adaptation of the infamously violent CBS television drama, The Equalizer. (Note: Contrary to various sources, McGuigan will not be directing the movie based on the Marvel Comics character Deathlok.)

"That hasn't been written yet, so I don't really know, but the Weinsteins are doing it," he said, and when asked whether or not the plan is to have the character be an older gentleman, as was the case with the original show, he admitted, "I loved 'The Equalizer' for that very reason, because the character seemed so exotic to me. I don't know why. I asked about that. In the UK, they're doing a poll about who should be the Equalizer, and it will range from a young kid to an older guy. I'm more wanting to maintain the wise man thing, and make it a real man that plays it, rather than a young boy."

We also wondered whether the original Equalizer, Edward Woodward, might make a cameo in the film, to which McGuigan replied, "Ed's not very well at the moment, but I hope he'll come join us."

But that actually won't be McGuigan's next project, although he decided to keep mum on what his secret next project will be. "I think the next one I'm going to do is going to be in the summer," he said, "I'd tell you, but I hate this thing where I can't tell you until it's signed, sealed and delivered." At least, he won't have to kill us.

 

[That-Guy]

That picture of Woodward there makes me think of another actor who could really kick ass in this role... Michael Caine.

 

[kane9321]

this was a great show back in the day

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=18357

The Equalizer Gets The Writers
Source: Variety
January 11, 2007


According to Variety, the Weinstein Company has signed crime novelist Michael Connelly ("Blood Work") and Terrill Lee Lankford to pen the screenplay for The Equalizer, their feature remake of the popular '80s TV series.

Connelly is best known for his series of novels starring police detective Harry Bosch, while Lankford, a regular collaborator of Connelly, is also an author, who has worked on severla indie films. The remake will be directed by Lucky Number Slevin helmer Paul McGuigan, but no cast has been attached as of yet.

The original show starred British actor Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, and the dark, character-driven crime show was a CBS hit in the late '80s. Each episode would see Woodward's former intelligence officer helping his client settle a score.

Connelly acknowledged in a statement that "times have certainly changed since the days of the television show" but said he and his co-scribe "plan to build a character that is of these times but to also keep the heart and soul of the show intact."

 

[ROBOCOP CPU001]

only one guy for this role...timothy dalton!

 

[Van Petrol]

Oh yes, I remember this.

 

[matrix_ghost]

That picture of Woodward there makes me think of another actor who could really kick ass in this role... Michael Caine.

You know it;s been sooo long ( literaly YEARS) since i saw the equalizer on tv that all these years i actually thought that Michael Caine was playing that role.