Peter Jackson busts dams

The 'King Kong' helmer is producing a new version of World War II epic 'The Dam Busters'.

Aug 31 2006

Peter Jackson is to produce a new adaptation of the classic 1954 World War II movie 'The Dam Busters', which itself was based on Paul Brickhill's celebrated book of the same name.

Jackson's long-time collaborator Christian Rivers (who served as animation director on 'King Kong') will helm the pic, which is set to shoot in the UK and New Zealand midway through 2007 under the tweaked title 'Dambusters'.

It will tell the tale of the incredibly dangerous mission to blow up three dams crucial to the Nazi cause using the revolutionary 'bouncing' bomb.

'I want to keep it as authentic as possible' Jackson told Screen Daily. 'There's that wonderful mentality of the British during the war, that heads-down, persevering, keep on plugging-away mentality which is the spirit of 'Dambusters'.'

Jackson added that the next project he will direct himself is still an adaptation of Alice Sebold's haunting novel 'The Lovely Bones', and that he and screenwriting partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are close to finishing the first draft of their script.