Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: In a sign of continuity, The Saint, the backdoor pilot from Brad Krevoy’s film and TV production company MPCA, has cast the two men who played the dashing Templar in the previous two Saint TV series, Roger Moore and Ian Ogilvy. Also joining the cast of the Saint reboot, starring Adam Rayner and Eliza Dushku, are James Remar (Dexter), Enrique Murciano (CSI), Thomas Kretschmann (Wanted), Beatrice Rosen (The Dark Knight), Yani Gellman (90210), Greg Grunberg (Heroes), Michael Ornstein (Sons Of Anarchy), Sonalii Castillo (Heroes), Sammi Hanratty (A Christmas Carol), Oliver Bell (The Sparticle Mystery), Kirsty Mitchell (Capone’s Boys), and Jason Brooks (Star Trek).

Moore also is producing the pilot, directed by Simon West from a script by Jesse Alexander who serves as showrunner. A new take on Leslie Charteris’ The Saint 70-book franchise, The Saint will follow the exploits of Simon Templar (Rayner), a brilliant criminal who uses his considerable illicit skills as a modern-day Robin Hood as he infuriates local law enforcement and woos Patricia Holm (Dushku), his on-again, off-again romance. Moore, who originated the role of Templar on Lew Grade’s popular 1962 Saint British TV series, plays Jasper. Ogilvy, who played Templar in the short-lived 1978 British revival series Return Of The Saint, plays The Banker. He is with The Gage Group. Remar, repped by Gersh and Lighthouse Entertainment, has been cast as Arnie Valecross; Murciano, repped by Gersh and Untitled, as Inspector Fernack; Kretschmann, repped by APA, as foe Rayt Marius; Rosen, repped by Innovative and Cornerbooth, as Katherine Valecross; Gellman, repped by Joe Vance and Chaotik, as Doyle Cosentino; Grunberg, repped by ICM Partners, as Agent Garces; Ornstein, repped by  Zero Gravity, as Kal Barko; Castillo, repped by Connor Ankrum and Redrock Entertainment, as Sonali Alves; Hanratty, repped by Paradigm and Zero Gravity, as Zooey Valecross; Bell, repped by Mavrick Artists and LSI Talent as Young Simon; Mitchell, repped by IAM, as Simon’s Mother; and Brooks, repped by Sovereign Talent, as Captain Miller.

Production on the pilot began on December 14 with shooting taking place in Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Moore serves as co-producer alongside his son Geoffrey Moore, Lulu Moore, and Louisa Macdonald. Krevoy, Alexander, and Roman Viaris executive produce alongside Silverscreen Pictures. The project is not set up at a network yet. MPCA’s television division secured independent financing, with the company’s Francisco J. González handling international sales. The Saint has been adapted to 15 feature films, most recently in 1997 by Paramount with Val Kilmer in the lead.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.