Liam Neeson’s career transformation continues to defy expectations, and his latest venture proves the veteran actor isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Fresh from his triumphant return to comedy in THE NAKED GUN revival, where he successfully filled the impossibly large shoes of Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling detective Frank Drebin Jr., Neeson is already pivoting back to more familiar territory with his upcoming horror thriller COLD STORAGE.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect for this genre mashup. After years of establishing himself as Hollywood’s go-to action patriarch through the TAKEN franchise and countless other revenge thrillers, Neeson has been strategically diversifying his portfolio. His recent comedic turn in THE NAKED GUN demonstrated remarkable range, showing audiences a lighter side of the Irish actor while maintaining the commanding presence that made him a household name. Now, with COLD STORAGE, he’s blending that hard-earned gravitas with sci-fi horror elements that promise to showcase yet another facet of his evolving screen persona.
Based on David Koepp’s 2019 novel and adapted by the acclaimed screenwriter himself, COLD STORAGE positions Neeson as Roberto Diaz, a grizzled bioterror operative forced out of retirement when catastrophe strikes a seemingly ordinary self-storage facility. The premise alone reads like a fever dream: Joe Keery’s Teacake and Georgina Campbell’s Naomi are working the night shift at a storage facility built over a decommissioned military base when a long-sealed, highly contagious fungus breaks free from its underground containment. As temperatures rise, this rapidly mutating microorganism unleashes brain-controlling, body-bursting terrors on everything in its path.
What makes this project particularly intriguing is how it represents Neeson’s continued willingness to take creative risks well into his seventies. Rather than coasting on the familiar rhythms of his action films, he’s embracing material that allows him to play mentor to a younger generation of performers while navigating genuinely unpredictable territory. Keery, riding high from his STRANGER THINGS success, brings a different energy to the dynamic, while Campbell’s recent breakout performance in BARBARIAN suggests she’s more than capable of handling the film’s horror elements.
The creative pedigree behind COLD STORAGE adds considerable weight to its potential impact. Koepp’s involvement as both source novelist and screenwriter brings the project full circle, while his legendary work on JURASSIC PARK, the first MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, and Sam Raimi’s SPIDER-MAN establishes his credentials in crafting tension-filled blockbuster entertainment. Director Jonny Campbell, known for his work on DRACULA, brings gothic sensibilities that should complement the underground claustrophobia of the story’s setting.
Perhaps most importantly, COLD STORAGE arrives at a moment when audiences are hungry for the kind of practical, gross-out horror that dominated the late 2000s. Films like PLANET TERROR and SLITHER proved there’s substantial appetite for horror comedies that aren’t afraid to embrace their B-movie roots while delivering genuine scares and laughs in equal measure. With the ZOMBIELAND producers backing this project, there’s clear intent to recapture that lightning-in-a-bottle formula.
For Neeson, this represents more than just another paycheck or franchise opportunity. At this stage of his career, he’s earned the luxury of choosing projects that genuinely excite him, and COLD STORAGE‘s blend of action, horror, and dark comedy suggests an actor still eager to surprise his audience. The supporting cast, including Sosie Bacon, Vanessa Redgrave, and Lesley Manville, indicates this isn’t a throwaway project but rather a carefully assembled ensemble piece designed to maximize both thrills and character development.
As COLD STORAGE prepares for its theatrical release through Samuel Goldwyn Films next year, it stands as a testament to Neeson’s remarkable career longevity and adaptability. From dramatic powerhouse to action legend to comedic revelation and now to horror survivor, he continues to find new ways to reinvent himself while maintaining the fundamental screen presence that first made him a star. In an industry obsessed with franchises and familiar formulas, Neeson’s willingness to dive headfirst into a fungal nightmare alongside rising stars and seasoned veterans alike proves that sometimes the best career moves are the ones nobody sees coming.
A priest. A pool. A Spanish island. And one very dead body. 🏊♂️☠️
THESE SACRED VOWS hits RTÉ One on February 1st, and this wedding weekend mystery is about to become your next obsession.
Newly released trailer now at irishfilmtv.com.
Killarney`s own Jessie Buckley just took home the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress for HAMNET, and her acceptance speech was pure gold 🏆✨
In HAMNET, Buckley delivers a devastating performance as Agnes, William Shakespeare`s wife, navigating the grief of losing their 11-year-old son. Critics are calling it unforgettable, and now she has the trophy to prove it 🎬💚
More Jessie at irishfilmtv.com.
HAMNET star Jessie Buckley shines in BEAST, now on #Netflix.
A troubled woman living in an isolated community finds herself pulled between the control of her oppressive family and the allure of a secretive outsider suspected of a series of brutal murders.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🕺✨ DANCING WITH THE STARS IRELAND is back for S9 tonight!
Get ready for spray tans, sequins, and Sunday night sparkle because Ireland`s favourite winter escape is almost here. Who`s ready to vote their faves to victory? 💃
More at irishfilmtv.com.
** Now on Netflix **
RUN AWAY brings Harlan Coben back to form with James Nesbitt doing what he does best—playing a tormented father searching for his missing daughter against all advice.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
By order of the Peaky Blinders, Merry Christmas!
A teaser for the new film PEAKY BLINDERS: THE IMMORTAL MAN just dropped, and it features Cillian Murphy’s gangster Tommy Shelby returning to his old ways despite leaving them all behind at the end of the TV series.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Domhnall Gleeson heads to a remote Scottish isle for THE INCOMER!
He plays an awkward council worker tasked with relocating two siblings who survive by hunting seabirds, talking to mythical beings, and fiercely defending their homeland from outsiders.
More Domhnall at irishfilmtv.com.
Andrew Scott is bringing one of theater`s most powerful true stories to life.
The ALL OF US STRANGERS star will portray Scottish actor Ian Charleson in ELSINORE, chronicling Charleson`s breathtaking final performance as Hamlet at London`s National Theatre before his death in 1990 at age 40.
More via irishfilmtv.com.
Belfast-born Ciaran Hinds shines in Bradley Copper`s IS THIS THING ON?
With Hinds, you`re not just getting an actor. You`re getting decades of gravitas, warmth, and that rare ability to make every scene feel like it matters. From prestige drama to fantasy epics, he`s built a career on understated brilliance. And now? He`s ready to find the humor in heartbreak.
More Ciaran at irishfilmtv.com.
Gothic drama LIES WE TELL is now on Netflix.
With powerful performances by Agnes O`Casey and David Wilmot, the Irish drama takes Sheridan Le Fanu`s classic novel UNCLE SILAS and transforms it into something urgent and vital for our moment.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
When Colin Farrell and Jessie Buckley finally sat down together, they were strangers—but within moments, the conversation became profound.
Both Irish actors are carrying the weight of devastating roles this year: Farrell as a gambling addict spiraling in Macau in BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER, Buckley as Agnes Shakespeare grieving her son in HAMNET.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
From FAIR CITY to KNIVES OUT! Daryl McCormack shines in the new #netflix film WAKE UP DEAD MAN.
McCormack just wrapped Netflix`s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE opposite Jack Lowden, Emma Corrin, and Olivia Colman. Talk about range: trading viral grift for Jane Austen elegance. Same actor, different century, wildly different moral compass.
More Daryl at irishfilmtv.com.
Eve Hewson brings ghosts to life in Noah Baumbach`s JAY KELLY.
From her breakout in THIS MUST BE THE PLACE to BAD SISTERS and beyond, she`s now haunting George Clooney as Daphne—a face from the past that forces a movie star to confront who he became while chasing fame.
More Eve at irishfilmtv.com.
When the past catches up with you in Amsterdam 🌊
Ciarán Hinds and Lesley Manville star in MIDWINTER BREAK—a retired couple`s winter getaway becomes a reckoning with memories they`ve tried to outrun for decades, in theatres Feb 20.
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
James Nesbitt is back in Harlan Coben`s twisted universe. 🔍
RUN AWAY drops January 1st on #Netflix — and this one`s personal.
When Simon (Nesbitt) finally finds his missing daughter strung out in a city park, it`s supposed to be a second chance. Instead, it`s the beginning of a nightmare.
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
