MOVIE NEWS: MGM Announces New ‘Red Dawn’ Project in the Works

In 1984 MGM released the original movie action movie RED DAWN, which has since become a cult classic and starred a veritable ‘who’s who’ among young Hollywood including Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell and Jennifer Grey, was a dramatic depiction of teenagers forced to defend their home against foreign invaders. Now, Mary Parent, Chairman of MGM’s Worldwide Motion Pictures Group has announced that MGM has assembled its production team for a new installment of the classic action movie Red Dawn and that the production team includes some of the hottest names in movie business today.

At the writing helm for this latest installment of Red Dawn is Carl Ellsworth, who will be writing the script and will be moving forward with a draft based on a story by Jeremy Passmore who is currently writing The Prince, for Circle of Confusion, and Summer’s End, for Rogue Pictures. Ellsworth, who began his career as a writer on the popular television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” for Warner Bros. is a top notch veteran when it comes to writing action movies having penned the such suspense thrillers as Disturbia for Paramount Pictures and Red Eye for Dreamworks SKG and is currently writing Y: The Last Man for New Line.

On board in the director’s chair for this action packed feature film is Dan Bradley, who is one of Hollywood’s most sought after 2nd Unit Director and Stunt Coordinator, having worked on such high profile projects as: Spiderman 2, Spiderman 3, Panic Room, Crank, Swordfish, Being John Malkovich, Seabiscuit, and Three Kings. He was also 2nd Unit Director and Stunt Coordinator on The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum, and is the 2nd Unit Director of MGM and Columbia Pictures’ New James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, which hits theatres in the U.S. November 7, 2008.

Contrafilm’s Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn, who are currently producing MGM’s Bobism, are attached to produce Red Dawn. Producer Vince Newman, whose credits include A Man Apart for New Line Cinema, is also attached to produce and they are very excited to begin working on this project along with Ellsworth.

“Carl Ellsworth’s great character writing mixed with Dan Bradley’s innovative action will take RED DAWN to a whole new level,” said Flynn. He is also looking forward to working with Cale Boyter, Executive Vice President, Production and Becky Sloviter, Vice President, Production who will oversee the project for MGM. “We look forward to partnering with MGM on the new installment of this cult classic.”

Vinson feels that the concept of the story of Red Dawn has a very real place in today’s society. “Red Dawn’s story covers a big canvas but ultimately it’s a very personal story about the lengths you’ll go through to protect your hometown.”

Boyter agrees with the assessment that Red Dawn is still as relevant today as it was twenty-eight years ago: “I’m a huge fan of the original RED DAWN. I actually had the movie poster on my wall growing up, and it remains a great concept to this day as it represents an opportunity to make an emotionally charged action movie.”