HOME TRAILERS 2013 SCHEDULE PODCASTS REVIEWS POSTERS INTERVIEWS SHORT FILMS NEWS FEEDS ABOUT APPS

LATEST NEWS

Liam Neeson No Longer Attached to Spielberg's Lincoln Biopic

by Ethan Anderton
July 30, 2010
Source: Digital Spy

For years now it's been assumed that sometime down the road Steven Spielberg would finally get around to directing Lincoln, a biopic with Liam Neeson playing Honest Abe. Whenever it's mentioned, Neeson's name comes right along with the news. Well, despite the fact that Spielberg assured us earlier this year that his Lincoln-centric film would still see the light of day, it looks like it won't have Neeson as the president anymore. Digital Spy reports (via The Playlist) that Neeson is no longer attached to the film. The actor said, "I'm not actually playing Lincoln now. I was attached to it for a while, but it's now I'm past my sell-by date."

Though it's disappointing to an extent, I'm sure there are plenty actors just as talented and as tall as Neeson to step into the shoes of the 16th President of the United States. Though he's already had the much praised role as President Nixon, I think Frank Langella would be a hell of a choice to lead the film. Anyway, with Spielberg hard at work getting War Horse off the ground, and plenty of projects to choose from after, who knows when we'll finally see this come together. In the meantime, Robert Redford's The Conspirator, which focuses on events concerning the assassination of Lincoln, will be headed our way soon so that will have to appease any Lincoln fans out there for the time being. Who do you want should play Abraham Lincoln?

Filed under Casting, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Corey

LAME
Sean

pfft he would've owned that part!!!
Jennie

Daniel Day-Lewis?
http://amodernamericanman.wordpress.com/ ModernAmericanMan

#3 Good call. Day-Lewis would be incredible. I know Tom Hanks was attached at one time. That was quite early on, but Day-Lewis would be a great, great choice.
nelson

Liam has never been that good at an american accent thus far might be for the best
http://movies.iconocritic.com peloquin

I agree that Daniel Day Lewis would be a good choice, but it's sad that's Neeson's out because he would've been perfect.
Dan

Good I want Spielberg to make another Indiana Jones movie, and get it right!
Eli

I don't recall hearing about this at all, but Liam Neeson not being attached... could be a good thing. Another IJ movie? What was so wrong with the skull? i stopped halfway through but what i had seen was classic ford and classic indie stuff. No DDL for Lincoln.
ryderup

#8. Then you didn't see the tree-swinging, the over-use of CGI and an entire last act that felt like it was missing from the picture. I would like to have an Indy5 (don't see it happening through, things move to slow) BUT with a real promise on focusing on old-school effects. Putting it in the 50's give them opportunities - but flirting with B-movies/Sci Fi didn't work last time around. But a backdrop of the cold war is still pretty cool. Not as cool as nazis. But it still might be really cool.
I am...

Yes, #3, you will be knighted for that idea Very true and relevant
Kinks!

Frank Langella? Neeson is too old, thats the problem. Dumb.
Jos van den Atmos

Daniel Day-Lewis or Gary Oldman.
Craig

Never noticed it before, but I can definitely see a resemblance between Liam and Lincoln. His face just doesn't look long enough though. Daniel Day-Lewis would be great. Though honestly I'm more interested in who will be cast as the president in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
james

daniel day lewis is only really good at playing bad guys
ryderup

They look damn similiar.
Eli

And if Redford is doing something about the same topic, I say screw this project all together. Maybe it's a passion project for Steve, but any greaty author will tell you that every once in a while you gotta let things go. Overcrowding the scene with something like this is uncalled for.
Pill's Here!

Hulk Hogan should play Abraham Lincoln.
Darren

tom hanks is actually related to lincoln or lincoln's wife...some cool shit like tht
quazzimotto

Viggo Mortensen. I think he would own Spielburg's "Lincoln". I'm with #13 tho. More interested in the 'Vampire Hunter'.
Lizbet

Awesome. As soon as I read the title I thought "Daniel Day-Lewis" and about ten other people thought so too. Guess that answers that.
Dan

This Lincoln movie was supposed to be based off of Gore Vidal's book where Lincoln was supposedly a homosexual. So I'm glad this film didn't get made. Can you imagine the uproar if this was made. Thank God it isn't getting made!
Solo Calrissian

Should be a mini-series like Adams' was. That was awesome.
Tood Lincoln

# 14 Apparently you have not seen many Daniel Day-Lewis movies. There would be no better choice than Day-Lewis…
Nick

absolutely stinks