Liam Neeson returns for third film in Victoria in four years

As Hollywood stars start filming a remake of the 1997 film Anaconda in Queensland, Irish actor Liam Neeson will soon return to Victoria to film an action-thriller called The Mongoose - his third production in the state in just four years.

Backed by VicScreen's Victorian Screen Incentive, the project is expected to generate 453 screen industry jobs, inject more than $19 million into the economy, and engage 150 local businesses, including specialist screen industry businesses to accommodation providers, retailers and hospitality.

Victoria's Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks has announced that from late January the cameras will roll on The Mongoose with filming taking place across Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Brooks says the announcement shows the state's screen industry has a 'particular set of skills' that makes global stars and major productions come back for more.

"We’ve always known that Victoria is a sought-after screen destination. To see major producers and stars returning time and time again is testament to our spectacular locations, exceptional crews and world class facilities

The production team will be based out of the Melbourne Screen Hub in Footscray, a warehouse and co working space for local screen businesses. The Hub moved to expanded premises this year so it could hire spaces to visiting productions like The Mongoose.   

The Mongoose stars Neeson as Ryan “Fang” Flanagan, a war hero accused of a crime he didn’t commit and with nothing to lose, who leads police on an epic televised cross-country car chase. Helped by members of his former Special Forces Army battalion, he is closely monitored by a fascinated public cheering for his safe getaway.

The film will be Neeson’s third Victorian-made project following the conspiracy thriller Blacklight, filmed in 2020 and Ice Road 2: Road to the Sky which filmed in Melbourne and regional Victoria earlier this year. Ice Road 2 notably transformed the historic gold mining town of Walhalla into a Nepalese village for the film.

The Mongoose reunites Neeson with Code Entertainment, producers of Ice Road and Ice Road 2: Road to Sky. It will be directed by veteran stunt professional Mark Vanselow and the script is by Thompson Evans (Reckoning).

Code Entertainment’s Al Corley, Bart Rosenblatt and Eugene Musso will produce. Jonathan Dana will executive produce with Code’s Rich Freeman along with Steven Shapiro and Liz and Ken Whitney of Jupiter Peak Productions. Lisa Wilson and Craig Chapman of The Solution Entertainment Group will also executive produce. 

"We are so fortunate to be able to make another picture with the extraordinary Liam Neeson and the talented Mark Vanselow," Corley and Rosenblatt said.

"Shooting in Victoria again is fantastic – Melbourne is a great city to shoot in - the local crews and the technical capabilities of the virtual stages are terrific."

"Once international producers experience how much Victoria has to offer, they want to come back again and again. This film is part of Victoria’s growing screen production pipeline, which reinforces our state’s reputation as a screen powerhouse, generating jobs for Victorian screen workers and businesses," adds VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher.

This year has seen a diverse mix of screen projects produced across the Victoria; from local projects like the psychological horror Saccharine, sci-fi action thriller War Machine and the ABC series The Family Next Door, as well as international projects including the television series All Her Fault and feature film Beneath the Storm.

The VICSCREEN strategy has reportedly created 29,000 jobs and generated $1.25 billion to date in direct economic expenditure in Victoria since 2021-22.