Israeli Comedy ‘The Last Band in Lebanon’ Gets Remake From Davis Films, United King, Marker Films (EXCLUSIVE)
Samuel Hadida’s Davis Films (“Resident Evil”) has acquired U.S. remake rights to “The Last Band in Lebanon,” the 2016 hit Israeli comedy.
Hadida will produce “The Last Band in Baghdad,” the English-language remake of “The Last Band in Lebanon,” with United King Films’ Moshe and Leon Edery, and Marker Films’s Elad Gavish and Itzik Kricheli.
Davis Films and United King Films are already partners in Cinema City, one of Israel’s main theater chains. Aside from Davis Films, whose credits span the “Resident Evil” and “Expendables” franchises as well as “True Romance,” Hadida runs, with his brother Victor, the leading French distribution outfit Metropolitan Filmexport.
Written by Itzik Kricheli, who penned the first draft of the script, “The Last Band in Baghdad” follows three members of the U.S. Army Band, who wake up one morning just to discover that the U.S. Army has pulled out of Iraq and left them behind. As they try to find their way back to the border, they realize that their concert was used as a diversion for a huge drug smuggling operation.
Hadida told Variety that the movie will be in the vein of David O. Russell’s 1999 “Three Kings.” It will be a high-concept buddy comedy, mixing action, emotions and a lot of humor,” pointed out Hadida, who added that A-list American actors are being eyed for the leads. An American or Canadian screenwriter will come on board to write another draft of the script.
The original film was produced by Marker Films’ Elad Gavish, Itzik Kricheli, and the Edery brothers at United King Films, was chosen as one of Israel’s 10 best comedies of all times.
Limor Edery, Senior VP of United King Films, initiated and negotiated the deal.
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