New Roles For Liam Neeson And Ewan McGregor

Posted By Mike on November 23, 2011

New roles were announced within the past couple days for a couple of PT alumni, Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor. London24.com reports that Neeson will be joining the cast of Jeff Wayne's touring musical version of The war of the worlds. Liam will be portraying journalist George Herbert in this interesting interpretation of the classic H.G. Wells story. The play's UK arena tour will kick off in November of 2012.

Ewan McGregor, on the other hand, is headed to HBO in a drama pilot titled The Corrections. From The Hollywood Reporter:

"The Star Wars and Moulin Rouge actor will co-star alongside Dianne Wiest and Chris Cooper in Noah Baumbach and Scott Rudin's adaptation of Jonathan Franzen's best-seller, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

McGregor will play Chip, the middle child of an elderly Midwestern couple (Cooper, Wiest) who reunite the family for one last Christmas."


Thanks to Som for the heads up!

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The Force.net

Liam Neeson's War of the Worlds role

Liam Neeson is to appear as a hologram in the stage version of 'War of the Worlds'.

The 'Schindler's List' actor will be shows as a full body hologram narrating the musical, which will be staged on an arena tour across the UK next year.

The star takes over from the late Richard Burton, who's distinctive voice was used to narrate the 1978 soundtrack album of the musical - based on HG Wells' classic science fiction tale of aliens invading earth - and has been used, along with a holographic head, in the production since 2006.

Liam said he is honoured to be taking over the role of George Herbert, the story's narrator, for the production.

He told BANG Showbiz: "I was very flattered to be offered the role. I loved Richard Burton and I loved his voice."

Liam - who has also voiced Aslan the Lion in the movie adaptation of the 'Chronicles Of Narnia' books - said he worked closely with Jeff Wayne, who composed the original soundtrack, to get a new take on the role.

He added: "I had to put [Richard's version] aside and focus on the text and listen to Jeff and the director.

"We've tightened up the grooves, we've added to it, without taking away from the main compositions, and there's a new context for the singing and acting and some new ingredients."

Jeff has also produced a new version of the album, which will accompany the stage production.
Liam will appear in the stage show in three guises - as a full body hologram, as a 3.5 metre tall holographic floating head and shoulders, and as part of a two hour CGI film, which accompanies the production.

'War of the Worlds' stage tour of the UK December 2012, confirmed dates:

Saturday 01 Liverpool Echo Arena
Sunday 02 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
Tuesday 04 Nottingham Capital FM Arena
Thursday 06 London Wembley Arena
Friday 07 Birmingham NIA
Saturday 08 Manchester Evening News Arena
Sunday 09 Sheffield Motorpoint Arena
Monday 10 Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Tuesday 11 Glasgow SECC
Thursday 13 Bournemouth BIC
Saturday 15 London O2 Arena
Sunday 16 Brighton Brighton Centre

The Times of India

Liam Neeson joins War of the Worlds musical as hologram replacing Richard Burton

By Tim Masters Entertainment and arts correspondent, BBC News

Liam Neeson was a fan of the original album when it came out in 1978

Liam Neeson is to appear as a 3D hologram in a new version of Jeff Wayne's long-running The War of the Worlds musical.

The actor takes over the narrator role from Richard Burton, whose holographic head has appeared in the show since it began touring in 2006.

The Northern Irish star said he was "very flattered" to take on the part.

Burton's narration had been taken from Jeff Wayne's original 1978 double album, which has sold some 15m copies.

The cast on the original recording included David Essex, Justin Hayward, Phil Lynott and Julie Covington.

In a new element to the production, Neeson's holographic character will appear interacting with the live performers on stage.

The show, based on HG Wells' classic science fiction novel, tells the story of a Martian invasion of Victorian England.

At the launch of the 2012 "New Generation" show and album in London on Friday, Wayne said he had decided to "re-explore" HG Wells' storyline and characters for the new tour.

This, he said, included the main character of George Herbert, The Journalist, as voiced by late actor Burton.

"While it may have been the greatest opportunity, it was also the hardest decision to make because I knew that with a re-developed storyline, a new Journalist would need to be sought, as Richard Burton's original performance was finite," Wayne said.

"And whoever that person might turn out to be, he would have to be of no less stature and quality of voice than that of Richard - an incredibly tough act to follow."
'Head and shoulders'

Jeff Wayne is taking a new approach to the story and the music for the 2012 tour

Burton appeared in 74 sequences in the old show, while Neeson's character features in 90.

He will take three separate forms: As a full-length hologram, as a holographic "head and shoulders" and also in filmed CGI sequences on a giant screen.

Neeson said he had been a fan of the original album, having bought it on cassette tape in 1978.

He also recalled working with Burton on a 1984 US TV mini-series, Ellis Island, shortly before the Welsh actor died.

"I remember coming out of my trailer and he was listening to this lady with his arms behind his back, and he looked incredibly fit," he told the BBC.

"I thought 'wow - that's Richard Burton'. I didn't want to go over, I wished I had, but two weeks after that he passed away. He had this 'halo' round him."

The new War of the Worlds tour takes place in the UK in December 2012

BBC News