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