Liam Neeson, 56, whose wife Natasha Richardson died last March 18, is set to begin work on a remake of Clash of the Titans.
Neeson will play Zeus, the ancient Greeks' top god (Zeus is akin to the Latin Deus, God), a role played by Laurence Olivier in the 1981 film.
Louis Leterrier, of The Incredible Hulk, is set to direct the new version, which is scheduled to begin production in the United Kingdom later this month.
Also in the new Clash of the Titans are Ralph Fiennes playing Hades, ruler of the underworld, Luke Treadaway (of Brothers of the Head), Mads Mikkelsen, Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, and Alexa Davalos. This will mark Neeson's and Fiennes' first film reunion since Schindler's List back in 1993.
Directed by Desmond Davis, the original Clash of the Titans featured stop-motion visual effects by Ray Harryhausen (who also co-produced the film), and starred Harry Hamlin and Judi Bowker.
Olivier, Maggie Smith, Ursula Andress (at the time Hamlin's off-screen companion), Claire Bloom, Flora Robson, Sian Phillips, Burgess Meredith, and Freda Jackson had supporting roles (at times mere cameos) as assorted gods, goddesses, monsters, and their fellow ancient Greeks. Though hardly a cinematic masterpiece, the old Clash of the Titans has its charms.
Liam Neeson has just finished work on Atom Egoyan's Chloe, which he was in the middle of shooting when Natasha Richardson died after falling and hitting her head while taking skiing lessons in Quebec's Mont Tremblant.
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I'm glad that Liam will keep on working.
I'm looking forward to Clash of the Titans.