‘CHiPs’ Movie News: Michael Pena and Dax Shepard Will be Joined by Vincent D’Onofrio as the Villain
The old TV series "CHiPs" is the latest small screen show to get the big screen treatment in Hollywood.
The show from the late '70s featured Frank "Ponch" Poncherello, who was played by Erik Estrada, and Jon Baker, portrayed by Larry Wilcox, as two motorcycle-bound police officers in Los Angeles patrolling the highways and interstates of California. The unit they worked out of was the California Highway Patrol, hence the abbreviation CHP, which morphed into the show title.
The show had already cast Michael Pena into the role of Frank "Ponch" Poncherello and Dax Shepard into the role of Jon Baker, as reported by Deadline. Shepard will also serve as the writer and director of the film.
Although details at this point are limited, the film is said to take on a more serious dramatic approach, which is a slight departure from the original series which was generally considered a dramedy, with comical action taking place in every episode, especially between Ponch and his fellow officers.
Now that the film has a clear direction, who better to play the role of a villain than "Daredevil's" very own Vincent D'Onofrio? The actor has been reportedly in negotiations with Warner Bros., according to The Hollywood Reporter, for the role of an exotic car theft ringleader who also happens to be a former policeman himself.
D'Onofrio is no stranger to the role of a creepy villain.
He has most recently starred as Wilson Fisk in the Netflix series "Daredevil," and his creepy on-screen persona as an investigator with NYPD's major crimes division on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" lends him the dramatic prerequisites necessary to play a superb villainous role.
As for other films on D'Onofrio's plate, he has been cast to star alongside Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt in the remake of "The Magnificent Seven." He will also be starring alongside Pratt in the upcoming "Jurassic World," which will be premiering on June 12.
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