'High School Musical' Corbin Bleu to star in 'Metal Birding'

By Mary McSweeney Oct 18, 2007, 21:58 GMT

07/12/2007 - Corbin Bleu - 2007 Summer Tour With Corbin Bleu and Aly & Aj and Corbin Bleu - July 12, 2007 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Irvine CA, USA © Eric Shimohata / PR Photos

"High School Musical" co-star Corbin Bleu is leaving the Disney Channel fold to star in "Metal Birding," a motocross action film for Rigel Entertainment.

Variety reports that Bleu will portray a motocross racer who dreams of winning the Amateur National Championships, but must juggle his passion for the sport while struggling to support his family.

Jeff Woolnough ("Taken," "Battlestar Galactica") directs from a script by Jeffrey Nicholson and Joshua Leibner.

Variety reports that Rigel is producing in association with Up North Entertainment.

Executive producers include Rigel's John F.S. Laing, David Doerksen and Jim O'Grady of Waterfront Pictures and Michael Emanuel of Canal Street Films. Randy James of James/Levy Management, Blueman Inc.'s David Reivers, and Donald Paul Pemrick and Dean E. Fronk of Pemrick/Fronk Casting also are exec producing the project.

The film starts lensing in November in Vancouver.

Rigel has previously produced Stuart Gordon's "Stuck," "Blonde and Blonder" and "When a Man Falls in the Forest."

Once "Birding" is finished, Bleu will return to co-star in the third installment of the "High School Musical" franchise, which Disney will release theatrically next year.

In January, Bleu starred in "Jump In!" a Disney Channel picture.