UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has been picked to play B.A. Baracus in creator and producer Stephen J. Cannell’s feature film update to his hit 1980s action series THE A-TEAM. Baracus was originally portrayed by actor, pro-wrestler and pop icon Mr. T.
Jackson, who won out over several hip-hop candidates including 50 Cent and The Game, joins a cast that already includes Liam Neeson as John “Hannibal” Smith and Bradley Cooper as Templeton “Faceman” Peck.
The original A-TEAM, which aired from 1983 to 1987, was a campy action comedy series that followed four eccentric Vietnam War veterans-turned-mercenaries who had been framed for a crime they didn’t commit. While running from the military, they applied their professional training to helping out the innocent. This usually entailed a lot of shoot-from-the-hip gunplay where no one got shot and montages involving the tricking out of various vehicles with armor and more guns for more non-lethal mayhem.
This is a huge break for the charismatic MMA fighter who has so far only had minor roles in several forgettable DTV productions. The new A-TEAM movie is being built up by 20th Century Fox as a more mature franchise. They’re doing a good job so far. Ridley Scott is on board as producer and Joe Carnahan, of NARC and SMOKIN’ ACES fame will be lending his stylized approach to the direction of the film.
As for Jackson, he’s no Mr. T (nobody is) but there is no doubt he’ll be able to handle any action. A quick look at some of his UFC highlights (see below) reveals that Jackson is a dynamic and skilled fighter with the natural showmanship and personality to be an action star.
