quote: May 14, 2003 - 4Filmmakers claims that Tyrese Gibson (2 Fast 2 Furious, Baby Boy) has been cast in Universal's big-screen version of the TV classic, The Prisoner. The site doesn't say which role Gibson has allegedly been cast in but for now let's assume it's the lead role of the captured secret agent known only as "Number 6" (originally portrayed by British thesp Patrick McGoohan).
What gives this rumor some credence is that Universal, the studio behind The Prisoner, also made Tyrese's forthcoming sure-to-be-hit, 2 Fast 2 Furious. Could the casting of Gibson be an unsubtle attempt by the studio to market the cerebral spy drama to audience demographics (the youth and "urban" audiences that will flock to 2F2F) that might be unfamiliar with (or could care less about) the original series?
That, of course, is assuming that this Prisoner will bear even a passing resemblance to the TV classic. Simon West (Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) is attached to direct the film. The script has been worked on by Oscar-winner Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects), Mark Rosenthal & Lawrence Konner (Planet of the Apes), and James Vanderbilt (Basic). Barry Mendel Productions and Wychwood Productions will produce the film.
