I'm producing a film with Ernest Borgnine shortly. It's a western (which you probably won't find surprising if you've a stored PDF of the man's filmography on your laptop). Didn't take much to convince the gent to come onboard either. And though he's - wait for it - 92 years old, the man's so fit and full-of-life that I don't doubt he'll bring his everything to the role. Heck, I'm sure we will even get him on a horse!

I've been wondering why nobody else has caught onto the idea of using Borgnine lately (insurance reasons?). He use to be one of the busiest working actors in Hollywood, but - and it's not because he's still not hungry to act; he loves dancing for a Nikon - these days he gets about as much work as a pushy windscreen-cleaner does fifty dollar notes.

But good on Robert Schwentke, director of the forthcoming feature adaptation of the graphic novel/comic "Red", for having the sense to bring the vet onboard. Borgnine will be sharing the screen with a stellar cast that includes Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Brian Cox (now there's a man that's not short of work!), Julian McMahon, Helen Mirren, John C. Reilly, Mary Louise Parker, and [another great that doesn't get nearly enough good gigs thrown his way] Richard Dreyfuss.

“Red” tells the tale of a former black ops agent (Bruce Willis), now in retirement, who has to contend with younger, more high-tech assassins who show up to kill him. McMahon would play a Vice President with a dark side who is at the center of a shadow conspiracy.

Borgnine will play the keeper of the CIA’s darkest records. And can't you just see him already in the role?! He's going to be fantastic!.... and I have to admit, having Borgnine involved in such a high-profile project is only going to help our much-smaller one (which also features the likes of Dee Wallace, Stephen Tobolowsky and Chad Everett) ... But more to the point, good to have Commander Quinton McHale back on our screens!

There's more about the new "Red" appointments at The Hollywood Reporter