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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Entertainment
Lauren Harte

Liam Neeson's 'Hollywood blockbuster': Filming to begin on movie being shot in Donegal

Filming is due to start this week on Liam Neeson's big budget blockbuster 'In the Land of Saints and Sinners' and will continue until May.

Neeson, 69, will play the newly retired assassin who finds himself drawn into a lethal game of cat and mouse with a trio of vengeful terrorists.

The action-adventure film also stars veteran Belfast-born actor Ciarán Hinds, 69, who recently earned his first Oscar nomination for his performance in Kenneth Branagh's Belfast.

Read more: Liam Neeson sends support to cast of Brian Friel's Translations at the Lyric Theatre

This isn’t the first time that pals Neeson and Hinds have shared the big screen as the pair previously starred together in Martin Scorsese's 'Silence' (2016) and John Boorman's 'Excalibur' (1981).

Oscar-nominated Robert Lorenz is set to direct the new Irish movie. Lorenz previously directed Neeson in 'The Marksman', which topped the box office in early 2021.

GAA players had been sought as extras in Neeson’s latest movie - but only if they had scruffy 1970s-style hair.

The call was sent out for movie extras to take part in scenes featuring a GAA game.

Those planning on applying were warned that tight haircuts would rule them out of grabbing a starring role alongside the acclaimed Ballymena actor as casting agents were looking for a more rugged look.

In addition to male GAA footballers, the casting team were also on the lookout for extras to play coaches and referees.

As for female roles, casting agents were seeking those with “natural looks” for other upcoming scenes.

Extras could also get the chance to star in a pub scene, with filming reported to take place from May 25 to May 27.

Meanwhile excitement is building in south west Donegal ahead of the imminent arrival of Hollywood A-lister Neeson, who made a surprise cameo appearance in the first episode of the third and final series of Derry Girls last week.

The villages of Glencolmcille and Kilcar along with the fishing port of Killybegs and surrounding areas are the locations chosen for two months of filming.

Advertisements appeared in local papers last week from Donegal County Council seeking a temporary road closure order to facilitate filming.

A number of locals have also been hired as extras for the filming, which is set to be a major economic boost for the area.

Read more: Liam Neeson confesses he 'fell in love' with a 'taken' woman in Australia '

Read more: NI 'Belfast' premiere was one of the 'best nights' of Jamie Dornan's life

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