Liam Neeson to star in prison break thriller The Riker’s Ghost for Neil Jordan

Liam Neeson is headed to prison. The actor is set to reteam with director Neil Jordan for The Riker’s Ghost, an upcoming thriller in which Liam Neeson plays a convict set for release who is forced to break a terrorist out of prison.

“This is a unique take on the prison escape,” Neil Jordan said. “A bare knuckle ride from incarceration to freedom, by someone who just wants to finish his term. The reluctant escapee will be played by Liam Neeson, and I can’t wait to explore this character with him.” Producer Alan Moloney of Parallel Films added, “I am thrilled to be joining forces again with Neil and Liam. We have put together an elite team to support Neil’s scripted and directorial vision. This one will have you on the edge of your seat.” The Riker’s Ghost has been penned by Sean O’Keefe (Spenser Confidential) and Brian Rudnick (Dungeons & Dragons), with production set to kick off in September 2023. Our own Chris Bumbray recently sat down for a chat with Neil Jordan, so look out for that interview next week!

As I mentioned above, this isn’t the first time Liam Neeson and Neil Jordan have worked together, as the pair teamed up for Marlowe, a mystery thriller set in the late 1930s Los Angeles. The film stars Liam Neeson as Philip Marlowe, a down-on-his-luck detective who is hired to find the ex-lover of a glamorous heiress (Diane Kruger), the daughter of a well-known movie star (Jessica Lange). The disappearance unearths a web of lies, and soon Marlowe is involved in a dangerous, deadly investigation where everyone involved has something to hide. The film had its world premiere at the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival last year and will be hitting theaters in the U.S. on February 15th.

Liam Neeson is also set to star in the long-belated reboot of The Naked Gun, the classic spoof series which featured the one and only Leslie Nielsen. Akiva Schaffer will direct the reboot from a script by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, who wrote Akiva Schaffer’s Chip n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie. Neeson said last month that they’re hoping to start production later this year. “Yes, we’re waiting on a script,” Neeson said. “Yeah, we’re hoping it’ll happen this year, maybe in the summertime. I approached Seth MacFarlane, he and his team are working on it, the scripts. So, we’re hoping to go in the summertime, you know?“