Dekker to headline 'Fame' remake

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Thomas Dekker, star of the U.S. TV drama "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," is set to headline a big-screen remake of "Fame," it was announced Monday.

The announcement regarding plans to make a new version of the film was made jointly by producer Tom Rosenberg, chairman and CEO of Lakeshore Entertainment, and Mary Parent, chairman of MGM's Worldwide Motion Picture Group.

Among those signed to "Fame" are Dekker, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Naturi Naughton, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle.

"As in the original 1980 film, the talented new cast is comprised of young, up-and-coming performers who will climb the steps of the High School for the Performing Arts to explore a wide variety of classic and contemporary artistic disciplines, including singing, acting, ballet, tap, jazz, modern dance, hip-hop, slam poetry, spoken word, traditional theater, and cinema," the two parties said in a news release.

"We have assembled a gifted group of actors, dancers and musicians who are just starting out and have a true affinity for the characters they're playing. They are going through the same competition and artistic process in real-life as they strive to make a name for themselves," Rosenberg said. "The original 'Fame' premise is still vitally compelling."