Courtesy of CBS News
Taking on the role that earned Denzel Washington an Oscar.
CBS' Training Day sequel has found its leading man.
Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominee Bill Paxton has been tapped to topline the network's drama pilot based on the 2001 feature film of the same name, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Described as a reimagining that begins 15 years after the 2001 film left off, the reboot centers on an idealistic young African-American police officer who is appointed to an elite squad of the LAPD where he is partnered with a seasoned, morally ambiguous detective.
Paxton will make his broadcast series regular debut and star as Frank Rourke, a veteran LAPD cop who heads up the Special Investigation Section (SIS), a unit that goes after the worst of the worst. He lives by the law of the jungle and believes that real courage is the will to chase the bad guys where the law won’t. Needless to say, Frank isn’t too keen to be babysitting a new trainee, Kyle Craig (uncast). Denzel Washington earned an Oscar win for his leading role as seasoned detective Alonzo Harris in the 2001 feature. Ethan Hawke co-starred as the young cop.
For Paxton, the role marks his return to series regular television following HBO's Big Love, for which he earned multiple Golden Globe noms. After that, he starred in a pair of History miniseries, Hatfields & McCoys and Texas Rising. More recently, he has recurred on ABC's Marvel drama Agents of SHIELD. On the film side, his credits include Edge of Tomorrow, Nightcrawler, Million Dollar Arm, Titanic and Apollo 13. He's repped by UTA and Bloom Hergott.
Former LAPD detective Will Beall (Castle, Gangster Squad) will pen the script and exec produce alongside Antoine Fuqua, who directed the feature film. Jerry Bruckheimer and his Warner Bros. Television-based banner will exec produce alongside the company's Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed. Fuqua's Fuqua Films is also attached. Warner Bros. Pictures produced the original feature alongside Village Roadshow Pictures. Danny Cannon will also exec produce and direct the pilot.
Keep up with all the latest pickups, castings and eventual series orders with THR's handy guide to pilot season.
Pilot Season
