Taking on an iconic role is always a dangerous move for an actor, but Liam Neeson is apparently willing to embrace the risk after it was revealed he is in negotiations to play Col. John ‘Hannibal’ Smith in the movie remake of The A-Team.
The Irish-born actor will star alongside Yes Man’s Bradley Cooper, as Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck, if 20th Century Fox can close deals with the pair before production begins in August, US film bible Variety reports.
Long in the planning, the Ridley Scott-produced film will repackage the 1980s hit TV series about four wrongly-convicted war veterans who escape from prison to do good.
While Neeson is likely to fill George Peppard’s shoes and Cooper will step into Dirk Benedict’s role, an actor has yet to be found to play the mohawked, gold-chain-wearing Sgt. ‘B.A’ Baracus, the part that turned Mr T into an Eighties icon.
Capt. H.M. ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock originally played by Dwight Schultz, is also yet to be cast.
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Directed by Joe Carnahan, the film is slated for release next summer.
The A-Team will be Neeson’s second major film role since the death of his wife Natasha Richardson. The actress died after a skiing accident in Canada in March. Neeson, famous for Schindler’s List, Star Wars and Batman Begins, is currently filming Clash of the Titans with Ralph Fiennes and Sam Worthington.