Liam Neeson To Star In Gangster Thriller ‘Thug’ For ‘Copshop’ & ‘Rush Hour’ Producers, Mossbank & CAA To Launch Sales — Cannes Market

EXCLUSIVE: Liam Neeson is set to star in thriller Thug, reuniting with his Cold Pursuit director Hans Petter Moland, who will direct the film for Sculptor Media and Electromagnetic Productions, with Mossbank and CAA handling sales at next week’s Cannes market.

Thug revolves around an ageing San Pedro gangster (Neeson) who attempts to reconnect with his children and rectify the mistakes in his past, but the criminal underworld won’t loosen their grip willingly. Tony Gayton wrote the screenplay.

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Principal photography is slated for October, 2022, in Los Angeles.

Sculptor Media’s Warren Goz and Eric Gold are producing the movie alongside Roger Birnbaum (Rush Hour franchise) and Michael Besman (About Schmidt) for Electromagnetic Productions, and James Masciello’s Force Majeure (Copshop).

Executive producers are Mark Kimsey, James Masciello, Matt Sidari and Mitchell Zhang of Raven, which has a slate financing and production partnership with Sculptor Media and is financing Thug.

Mossbank, headed by Michael Rothstein and Sam Hall, will handle international sales and introduce the project to buyers at the Cannes Market. CAA Media Finance arranged the financing and is handling domestic sales.

Sculptor’s recentreleases include action pic Copshop and Neeson-starrer The Marksman. The company is currently in production on Black Flies with Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan. Open Road Films is due to release. The company is also working on projects Just Watch Me with Gerard Butler and The Delivered from director Jamie M. Dagg.

Producer Warren Goz said: “We are excited to work with Liam again with whom we had an amazing experience personally, creatively and commercially on The Marksman. We’re also excited to work with Hans who is fast becoming recognized as one of the top action directors. We additionally are very much looking forward to partnering with Roger and Michael who have a marvelous track record of creative and commercial success.”

Liam Neeson and Hans Petter Moland are represented by CAA. Tony Gayton is represented by APA.

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