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One of the big priorities for the "new" MGM is focusing on remaking some of its more memorable titles. New incarnations of "RoboCop" and "Poltergeist" would seem to be the most hit-friendly of these projects, but the flick with the most profit potential may be the $25 million-budgeted "Fame." So, no pressure for first-time director Kevin Tancharoen, whose biggest credit up to this point has been the TV series "Dancelife." Oh, and did we mention he's following in the footsteps of legendary British filmmaker Alan Parker, the man behind the original 1980 film? Luckily, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has found a number of established adult actors to assist the newbie director as the teachers at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts.

It turns out that the actors also have noteworthy performing arts backgrounds. Megan Mullally, who will play a voice instructor, graduated from The School of American Ballet . Kelsey Grammer, set as the school's orchestra conductor, went to Juilliard. Yale Acting School of Drama attendee Charles Dutton will play an acting teacher. And Bebe Neuwirth, who will play a dance teacher, had her stage work rewarded with two Tonys.

It's also no surprise that Debbie Allen, who played dance teacher Lydia Grant in the original film and subsequent TV series, will return in this new version as the school's principal.

The biggest question is: Who will play the film's lead? It appeared that Thomas Dekker ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") was set to get the spotlight after the movie was green-lit earlier this fall. But his name seems to have disappeared from the movie's already updated IMDB page. Perhaps Dekker couldn't get time off from shooting "Sarah Connor." If so, the hunt is on for the next Zac Efron-like lead. They better figure it out soon, "Fame" already has a release date of Sept. 25, 2009.