The no-nonsense action film star is no stranger to comedy, having previously hosted Saturday Night Live, as well as making a cameo on the British mockumentary TV series Life’s Too Short, where he received standup advice from Ricky Gervais, Warwick Davis, and Stephen Merchant. He has also made an appearance on comedy series Key and Peele, among others.
Viewers who have witnessed Neeson’s action renaissance — showcased in films like Batman Begins, The Grey, and, of course, the Taken franchise — know the actor’s hard-nosed style. And if his small, mostly cameo-based, comedic career says anything, it’s that he doesn’t really need to change his acting chops for the funny stuff. For Neeson, context is key to the uber-serious actor getting laughs.
As far as production teams with a flare for hilarious context, there probably isn’t a more perfect trio than the team behind The Revengers. Lennon and Garant have previously co-written several comedy films and tv series, including Reno 911, Balls of Fury, and the Night at The Museum franchise. As a director, Fleischer followed up the wildly successful Zombieland with dark comedies 30 Minutes or Less and Gangster Squad. Universal Studios will manage the production of the project through the company’s smaller in-studio house, Bluegrass Films.
No word has yet surfaced as to how the plot of the film will play out, as the screenplay is being held close to the chest by Lennon and Garant.
That said, it’s not too hard to imagine Neeson mean-streaking his way into some pretty goofy scenarios. Heck, the entire Taken franchise is already semi-seriously considered to be a part of the action comedy genre by some film critics.
