Liam Neeson’s next foray into action movies,The Ice Road, will head to Netflix, with the streaming giant reportedly picking up the movie for a very pretty penny. Neeson has found huge success in the latter part of his career, blasting his way into the action genre as the go-to aged hero, and now Netflix want to bask in the glow of that success, winning the domestic rights toThe Ice Roadfor $18 million.
According to reports, the popular streaming service was eager to snatch theLiam Neesonaction flick after watching a promo, and that Netflix had to fight off several other platforms also longing to add Neeson to their action release roster. Netflix are moving more and more into paying out big bucks for big action movie properties, investing millions in both Dwayne Johnson’sRed Notice, which also stars Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds, and the spy thrillerThe Gray Manstarring A-listers Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans.
As forThe Ice Road, Liam Neeson willonce again find himself in the role of grizzle saviouras ice driver, Mike, who leads an implausible rescue mission over a frozen ocean after a remote diamond mine collapses in the far northern regions of Canada. Mike must race against time to save the lives of the trapped miners as the thawing waters rise.The MatrixandJohn Wick: Chapter 2star Laurence Fishburne stars alongside Neeson, with Fishburne playing Goldenrod, the owner of the trucking company who hires Mike and accompanies him on this journey. Making up the rest of the supporting cast are Ray McKinnon, Marcus Thomas, Benjamin Walker and Amber Midthunder, whileThe Punisher’sJonathan Hensleigh is on directing duty having also written the screenplay.
Despite constantlythreatening to retire from action moviesfor good, Liam Neeson has several in the pipeline alongsideThe Ice Road. The actor recently signed on to star in the thrillerRetributionfor Studiocanal, which finds Neeson as an unassuming businessman who finds himself pushed to his limits after receiving a phone call telling him that there’s a bomb in his car and he needs to do exactly what the bomber says or else it will explode. Of course, because things aren’t already tough enough, his two children are also in the car with him.
Neeson has also signed on to star inMemory, in which the celebrated actor will play an assassin-for-hire who finds himself the target of a dangerous criminal organization, andBlacklight, which finds Neeson as Travis Block, a shadowy Government agent who specializes in removing operatives who’s covers have been exposed, when he uncovers a deadly conspiracy within his own ranks that reaches the highest echelons of power. Neeson can currently be seen plying his trade inThe Marksman, which sees him protecting a young Mexican boy from Cartel assassins. Clearly, Neeson has a very different definition of retirement to the rest of us.
The Ice Roaddoes not yet have a release date, butNetflixreportedly intends to debut the movie later on this year. This comes to us courtesy ofDeadline.
