James Maslow to Star in World War II Action Movie ‘Wolf Hound’
By Dave McNary
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – James Maslow will star as a fighter pilot in the World War II action movie “Wolf Hound,” Variety has learned exclusively.
“Wolf Hound” is inspired by the real-life plot designed to fly Allied aircraft as Trojan horses deep behind enemy lines. The action takes place in 1944 as a fighter pilot escorts a B-17 bomber into Nazi territory, engages in a one-on-one aerial joust with a Nazi ace pilot, destroying both of their planes and forcing them to bail out and parachute to the forest floor below. Alone, outnumbered, and being hunted down by a Nazi convoy hot on his trail, he must face his vengeful nemesis in a deadly game of cat and mouse to survive.
“I’m extremely excited to film ‘Wolf Hound,’” Maslow said. “My grandfather flew B-17s in WWII and I’ve always wanted to play a pilot from that period of time. This story is remarkably similar to something he actually went through.”
Michael B. Chait will be making his feature film directorial debut with “Wolf Hound.” He’s helmed music videos for artists including Apl.de.Ap of The Black Eyed Peas, and commercials for clients like Honda, Falcon Motorsports, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, and the U.S. Air Force/Air National Guard, receiving the civilian Legion of Merit medal for one.
Chait is directing “Wolf Hound” from a screenplay by Timothy Ritchey from a story by Chait. Sue Witham will be producing the film along with Chait for TMU Pictures. Michael Kramer, Chait’s longtime musical collaborator, will compose the original score.
The Yankee Air Museum in Michigan allowed the filmmakers to utilize the original “Rosie the Riveter” bomber plant hanger as a major filming location. The museum also offered their North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber, of which there are only 10 still flying in the world.
Filmmakers also plan to shoot footage with P-51 Mustangs, a Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, and either a German Messerschmitt Bf 109 or Focke-Wulf Fw 190. “Wolf Hound” will be shooting all aerial scenes without special effects. Dwayne McClintock will be the aerial cinematographer and Craig Hosking, who was aerial coordinator for “Dunkirk,” will be performing the same role for air-to-air dogfight sequences.
Westley Gathright, Chait’s most frequent visual collaborator and director of photography for his Yankee Air Museum and Air Force Commercials, will serve as cinematographer for “Wolf Hound.” and Russell Carpenter, the Oscar-Winning cinematographer for “Titanic,” will serve as the film’s visual consultant.
Maslow starred in the Nickelodeon program “Big Time Rush” and was part of the music group of the same name. Maslow released his debut solo LP, “How I Like It,” in March. He also appeared in “Dancing With the Stars” and “Celebrity Big Brother,” and in the films “48 Hours to Live,” “Bachelor Lions,” and “It Happened One Valentine’s.”
