Granada International To Remake Sci-Fi Action Film In Hollywood

Granada International has announced that its series 'The Champions' is to be remade in Hollywood.
Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hell Boy, Blade II) will write, direct and produce the science fiction action film for United Artists, the studio revived through a new partnership between Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. in November 2006.
The film will be produced by C/W Productions and executive produced by Robert Green, formerly of Granada International.
Part of the ITC library owned by Granada International, the British TV series The Champions first aired in 1968 starring William Gaunt (as Richard Barrett); Alexandra Bastedo (as Sharron Macready) and Stuart Damon (as Craig Sterling).
It is an action-adventure series about three people who gain extraordinary mystical powers which they use to fight crime.
The Champions was one of ITC's enormously popular action/adventure series which typically mixed adventure plotlines, humour and glamour.
The groundbreaking show broke away from the traditions of its ITC predecessors such as The Saint, The Baron and Danger Man insofar as it featured a trio of characters taking centre stage as opposed to a solitary figure.
Crucially, one was Alexandra Bastedo, meaning The Champions offered a strong female role model - a woman equal to her male colleagues and always involved at the sharp end of their dangerous activities.
The list of guest stars for the original TV series reads like a who's who of British film and TV, including luminaries such as Steven Berkoff, Jeremy Brett, Michael Gough, Donald Sutherland, Kate O' Mara, Adrienne Corri and Julian Glover with directors including Roy Ward Baker (A Night to Remember) and Sam Wanamaker.
The Champions has remained popular around the world for over 30 years and continues to endure as an intriguing and entertaining classic of its genre.
(DS)