Cult British TV series "Champions" coming to film

By Carly Mayberry

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Pan's Labyrinth" director Guillermo del Toro is bringing the cult British science fiction TV series "The Champions" to the big screen.

Del Toro will write and direct the adaptation for United Artists, the studio recently revived by Tom Cruise and his business partner Paula Wagner.

The series, which ran for 30 episodes in 1968-69, revolved around the adventures of a trio of secret government agents whose lives were saved when their plane crashed in the Himalayas and they were rescued by an advanced civilization. The civilization also bestowed them with superhuman abilities. It was produced by ITC, the company behind such British shows as "The Saint," "The Prisoner" and "Thunderbirds."

Del Toro is in production on "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army." A horror thriller produced by del Toro, "The Orphanage," is set for a December 28 release from Picturehouse.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter