Director Peter Landesman is in talks to make “Felt” his follow-up project to “Concussion,” with Liam Neeson attached to star, sources tell Variety.
Neeson has not closed a deal on the film yet.
Pic based on a script by Landesman, who will also produce. MadRiver Pictures will finance and produce, alongside Scott Free Productions, Playtone and Cara Films. Ridley Scott, Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Giannina Scott, Marc Butan, Christopher Woodrow and Jay Roach will produce. Steven Shareshian and Michael Schaefer will executive produce alongside Michael Bassick and Steven Marshall.
Principal photography is set to begin in March 2016; the filmmakers are in discussion with additional cast.
The pic is a spy thriller, centering on “Deep Throat,” the pseudonym given to the notorious whistleblower for one of the greatest scandals of all time, Watergate. The true identity of the secret informant remained a mystery and source of much public curiosity and speculation for more than 30 years. That is until, in 2005, special agent Mark Felt revealed himself as the tipster.
This will be the second collaboration for writer/director Landesman, Giannina Scott and Ridley Scott, following their “Concussion” starring Will Smith, which Sony will release wide on Christmas Day.
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CAA arranged the financing and will introduce the project to domestic distributors at AFM. Sierra/Affinity will handle the foreign rights. Neeson and Landesman are both represented by CAA.
Landesman’s “Concussion” will premiere at the AFI film festival next week and opens in theaters in December. The film stars Will Smith and is based on the true story of the doctor who found a connection between CTE disease and the amount of head trauma brought on by NFL players and how he tries bringing these findings to light.
Landesman is repped by CAA.
