The New Sweeney Movie

[HUGHJAMPTON]

Benjamin Paul Ballance- Drew. I've just seen him in a video for one of his hits. Who on earth decided on his casting as George Carter.

Cheers fot that info

I suppose his casting is to appeal to the younger demographic

[paul kersey]

And here in all his glory is Mr Ballance-Drew showing why he is to be the new George Carter. YouTube - Harry Brown Best Scene I should add that this clip contains swearing!

[GRAEME]

Cheers fot that info

I suppose his casting is to appeal to the younger demographic

His is the right age! George Carter is a young sergeant - late 20s is ok. This Plan bloke is almost exactly the same age as Waterman when he first played Carter.

It's Ray who is the wrong age for his character.

[HUGHJAMPTON]

His is the right age! George Carter is a young sergeant - late 20s is ok. This Plan bloke is almost exactly the same age as Waterman when he first played Carter.

It's Ray who is the wrong age for his character.

Seeing that it's set in modern day Britain, I'm just taking it that the producers are just using The Sweeney as a "brand name" and the characters of Regan and Carter as part of the merchandising tools, in hope that the generation that watched the original series will park their bums on the cinema seats.

[Steve Crook]

His is the right age! George Carter is a young sergeant - late 20s is ok. This Plan bloke is almost exactly the same age as Waterman when he first played Carter.

It's Ray who is the wrong age for his character.

Does their ability to do the job have any bearing on things?

Steve

[DB7]

Does their ability to do the job have any bearing on things?

Steve

You're clearly ignoring the fine roll-call of singers turned actor...

[Dame Starry]

Coppers used to have to retire at 55 - what's the age now then?

If this MUST be brought up to date, which I'm assuming the idea is, then Regan's sidekick would need to be fresh-faced, wearing Armani and have a University degree.

I'm still enjoying the old series on ITV4 and it's classic British TV at its best.

[GRAEME]

Does their ability to do the job have any bearing on things?

Steve

Ray is a fine actor - but he's too old for the part, if it is going to be Jack Regan as envisaged in the original scenario. This Plan B bloke was OK in Harry Brown - but of his dramatic range, I know not.

I think the whole thing is a dodgy idea.

[DB7]

If this MUST be brought up to date, which I'm assuming the idea is, then Regan's sidekick would need to be fresh-faced, wearing Armani and have a University degree.

No, that's the Beeb. I think the next one is Armstrong or Miller as a cop in France.

A British cop would probably spend most of the film filling out paperwork.

[paul kersey]

It's strange how this project has got under my skin so much. I can only agree with Graeme that the whole idea is dodgy. To set a "Sweeney" movie in 2011 , which is about 36 years after the series started, and still use the same characters is asking for trouble in terms of casting. I very much doubt whether the modern Police "Service" has officers like Regan and Carter anymore. I can remember Regan feeling very much past his time when the series was originally shown and I believe that he was about to quit at the end of the last episode after his honesty was questioned. If Ray Winstone is to be Regan, then presumably Ch Sup't Haskins would be older still? The age difference between Ben Drew and Ray Winstone looks far too large to be credible, unless George Carter has been fast tracked because of being University educated? Does Ben Drew have the ability to appear University educated ? Not on the evidence that we have seen up to now.
I suppose that Ray Winstone at least sounds like Jack Regan, if he were to lose a few pounds or perhaps undergo the same treatment as he did in "Beowulf" (only joking!) he would be a credible Regan, the fact that he is 54 is explained by time having passed on. If Daniel Craig is too big a name to play second fiddle to Winstone and Ewan McGreggor is unwilling or unavailable to play Carter, I had two very wild ideas as to who might be suitable, don't laugh as they are no worse than "Plan B" really. How about Simon Pegg or even much as I dislike him, Kriss Marshall?. Regarding Frank Haskins, who as I recall was not always the "Guvnor" in the series,
how about Bill Nighy or even wilder again, Alexander Armstrong?.
It would be better if the money was to be spent on a totally new idea. It would be easier, if the Sweeney had to be made at all, to have totally new characters although whether it would still be "The Sweeney" without Regan and Carter is another question.

[Rowdon]

I just saw Harry Brown, and I think Ben Drew will make a good Waterman. I mean Carter.

[HaroldShand]

Interesting interview with Nick Love on the new Sweeney film, and why he didn't want to set it in the 70's.
Nick Love chats 'The Sweeney', 3D CGI film - Movies News - Digital Spy

With its iconic theme music, roaring Ford Consul and no-nonsense depiction of police work, The Sweeney was a staple of British TV in the '70s and made stars out of John Thaw and Dennis Waterman. When The Business director Nick Love teamed up with Ray Winstone to revamp the show for the big screen it appeared to be a match made in heaven. However, the project ran into problems and Winstone recently told Digital Spy that money issues halted it.

While speaking to Love for the DVD and Blu-ray release of The Firm, we decided to find out a bit more about what happened to the planned police film. Click 'play' below to see Love tell us why he hopes to revive the project this year, who else he cast to star alongside Winstone and why there'll be no cameo for Dennis Waterman - plus, we get a quick tease about an all-CGI film he's working on.

[paul kersey]

Interesting, so Nick Love doesn't think that the Americans could understand a British Police film set in the past . Lucky that we could understand "The Untouchables" wasn't it.....

[HaroldShand]

The recent Starsky & Hutch film was set in the 70's, and the huge popularity of Life on Mars suggest audiences like retro 70's throwbacks.
I think this film would have worked set in the 1970's, but something tells me Nick Love couldn't get the financial backing for such a project.

As it stands no, this project sounds just awful. Chav director at the helm, set in modern day, with a very old Ray Winstone playing Regan (he could have played him 20 years ago), and as for Blan B as George Carter....this will be hilariously bad.

[HaroldShand]

Apparently they start shooting in 4 weeks time....
Plan B has revealed that his co-star in The Sweeney Ray Winstone told him to lose weight for the role.

The singer/rapper - real name Ben Drew - is playing George Carter in the '70s cop show film remake, alongside Winstone's Jack Regan.
Drew said that his co-star urged him to shed a few stone when they met to discuss the project eight weeks ago - and he has followed his advice.

Read the rest here.....
Plan B: 'Ray Winstone told me to lose weight for 'The Sweeney'' | News | NME.COM

[HaroldShand]

A new poster has been released, and also some footage - New Poster for The Sweeney | FilmNav

[HaroldShand]

5 tips for Nick Love - 5 Tips for Nick Love’s Sweeney film | FilmNav