Liam Neeson to join Viola Davis in heist thriller “Widows”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Liam Neeson is in talks to play Oscar winner Viola Davis’ husband in Steve McQueen’s heist thriller “Widows”, Variety said.

Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Rodriguez, “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya, and “Moonlight” actor Andre Holland are also on board. “Gone Girl” screenwriter and novelist Gillian Flynn will write the script with McQueen.

Based on the 1983 British miniseries about a caper gone wrong, the story follows four armed robbers who are killed in a failed heist attempt, leaving their widows to finish the job.

The movie will be produced by McQueen, and Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films, who teamed with McQueen on “Shame” and also produced the best picture Oscar winner “The King’s Speech.” Film4 is co-financing with New Regency.

The movie marks McQueen’s first feature since winning the best picture Academy Award for “12 Years a Slave” in 2014.

Neeson’s supporting role will be in the vein of his past characters that elevated films like “Gangs of New York,” “Batman Begins,” and “Kingdom of Heaven.” The actor last starred in Martin Scorsese’s historical drama “Silence” and the fantasy film “A Monster Calls.” He recently wrapped production on the spy thriller “Felt” and the actioner “The Commuter.”