Sylvester Stallone's Death Wish

Nov 9, 2007, 13:30 GMT

Actor Sylvester Stallone is to direct and star in a remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson movie Death Wish. MGM hopes the movie will spawn another franchise like Stallone\'s Rocky and Rambo movies. © Terry Thompson / Photorazzi

Sylvester Stallone is set to star in and direct a remake of the classic movie 'Death Wish'.

The 61-year-old actor is in talks to helm a new version of the cult 1974 film which originally starred Charles Bronson as a New York City accountant who becomes a one-man vigilante after his daughter is beaten and his wife is murdered by street punks.

The remake is being made by MGM studios.

The company's chief operating officer Rick Sands said: "We hope to get a deal done with Sylvester Stallone to direct and star, and like the 'Rocky' and 'Rambo' films, we see this as another potential franchise for him."

Michael Ferris and John Brancato - who penned the script for 'Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines' - have been brought onboard to write the screenplay for the project.

Production on 'Death Wish' is due to begin next March, with a release date scheduled for 2009.

Stallone's fourth outing as Vietnam veteran John J. Rambo is expected in cinemas next year.

In 2006, the sixth movie in the 'Rocky' franchise, 'Rocky Balboa', took an impressive $150 million worldwide.

(C) BANG Media International