Variety has revealed that Liam Neeson has signed on to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Humphrey Bogart, James Garner, Elliott Gould and Robert Mitchum by taking on the role of Raymond Chandler’s iconic private eye Philip Marlowe. Neeson is set to play the lead in Marlowe, a spec script from Oscar-winner William Monahan (The Departed), which is being produced by Nickel City Pictures.
Marlowe will be based on Benjamin Black’s book The Black-Eyed Blonde, and “follows the tough as nails private detective the early 1950s where Marlowe is as restless and lonely as ever, and business is a little slow. That is until a beautiful blonde client comes in and asks Marlowe to find her ex-lover. He soon comes to find out that the ex-lover’s disappearance is just a part of bigger mystery and soon has Marlowe wrapped up with one of the more powerful families in Bay Cities who are willing to go to any length’s to protect their fortune.”
“The book by Benjamin Black was a pleasure to adapt, and with Marlowe there’s no chance of even being asked to do it left-handed,” Monahan said. “You have to do Chandler justice, carry a very particular flame, or stay home. “It’s hard to tell who has the more of a lion’s heart and soul, Philip Marlowe or Liam Neeson. I hope I’ve done the both of them and a picture I could not anticipate more some service.”
Originally published April 1, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
