Schweiger taking actioner to U.S.

BERLIN - Multihyphenate German star Til Schweiger is embarking on his most ambitious project to date -- a U.S. remake of his actioner "Schutzengel" (The Guardians). Schweiger is directing and starring in the German-language film, and plans to develop and produce the remake Stateside with U.S. partners next year via Barefoot Films, the Berlin-based shingle he runs with producer Tom Zickler. Warner Bros. is releasing the film, described as an "emotional action-drama," in Germany on Sept. 27 and may also board the U.S. version. Alexander van Duelmen's Berlin-based A Company has already picked up rights for Russia, where Schweiger, Germany's leading star, also enjoys major box-office clout. The film will go out via A Company's Moscow-based distrib Gala Media & Film Intl. "Schutzengel" is budgeted at E7.5 million ($9.85 million) and has already secured $4.13 million in federal and regional subsidy coin. Co-penned by Schweiger, Paul Maurice and Stephen Butchard, the film centers on a psychologically troubled former elite soldier who rescues a teenage orphan, the only witness to a murder, from deadly assassins. It is lensing in Berlin with additional filming planned for Brighton, England. The film co-stars Schweiger's 15-year-old daughter Luna Schweiger, who is set to reprise her role in the remake along with an American cast. Also starring in the German version are Moritz Bleibtreu, Hannah Herzsprung, Heiner Lauterbach and Karoline Schuch. The pic marks a change of pace for Schweiger, who has enjoyed huge success with a string of romantic comedies in recent years, including the "Rabbit Without Ears" franchise and most recently "Kokowaah," which earned some $40 million at the German box office last year, making it 2011's most successful local pic and another major hit for Warners. Contact Ed Meza at staff@variety.com