Spike TV to film series here in 2007
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"The Kill Pit," an eight-hour drama series coming to cable's Spike TV, will film in Pittsburgh in early 2007. Pittsburgh Film Office director Dawn Keezer will make an official announcement today about the program, expected to air next summer.
John Leguizamo ("ER," "Moulin Rouge") will star in "The Kill Pit," about a team of Iraq war veterans who rob a bank and take hostages. It will be produced by Lionsgate Entertainment, which has a history with programs filmed outside of Hollywood, Vancouver or Toronto, the largest entertainment production centers. ABC Family's "Wildfire" shoots in New Mexico and an upcoming drama for The CW is in production near Phoenix.
"The Kill Pit" will be the most extensive national television production to film in Pittsburgh, with speculation of an initial investment of $18 million locally. CBS's Pittsburgh-set series "The Guardian" filmed scenes here over its three seasons, but the series was filmed almost entirely on the Sony lot in Culver City, Calif. "Kill Pit" is expected to film entirely in Western Pennsylvania.
The premiere episode of "Kill Pit" was written by James DeMonaco, an executive producer on the short-lived 1999 Fox drama series "Ryan Caulfield, Year One." He also wrote the 2005 Samuel L. Jackson film "The Negotiator" and 2005's Ethan Hawke feature "Assault on Precinct 13."
"Kill Pit" follows several other heist-themed series in the past year, including FX's "Thief," the first-season ABC drama "The Nine" and CBS's recently canceled "Smith," which filmed a portion of its pilot in Pittsburgh. Each "Kill Pit" episode will "follow the escalating action as the volatile soldiers plot their way out, the negotiator anticipates their moves and the hostages desperately try to survive," according to a Spike TV description of the series released last month.
Mr. Leguizamo starred with Simon Baker (star of Pittsburgh-set drama "The Guardian" and "Smith") in the 2005 Pittsburgh-set horror movie "Land of the Dead," which was filmed in Canada.
An announcement about "Kill Pit" is expected at a news conference this afternoon with Lionsgate executives and a phalanx of local leaders in attendance, including Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato.
"It's great for the City of Pittsburgh to once again be showcased," the mayor said. "Any opportunity we get to host a production like this in the city is great as a showcasing opportunity and as an economic generator" because it brings jobs and spending here.
First Published October 19, 2006 12:00 am
