Star of the Taken franchise, Liam Neeson, could be about to sign on to portray another man with a very particular skill-set – this time as U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, in the upcoming movie, Operation Chromite. Set in 1950 during the Korean War, the film will centre on a group of Korean soldiers participating in MacArthur’s planned military operation, which represented a significant turning point in the conflict.
The Korean War was fought from 1950-1953, though the consequences of the clash are still playing out today. The United Nations stepped in with military force when North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, and General MacArthur was tasked with leading the United Nations Command in the country, in addition to the job he was already doing – overseeing the occupation of Japan. The five-star General planned the amphibious attack – which would become known as the Battle Of Incheon, but was codenamed Operation Chromite – which secured the liberation of the South Korean capital Seoul within a month.
Further casting news has yet to appear for this project, but it has been confirmed that director John H. Lee (71: Into The Fire, Sayonara Itsuka) is attached to helm. The script comes from frequent collaborator, Lee Man Hee, and the filmmakers are apparently aiming for a 2016 release date that coincides with the anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War.
If he commits to the role, Operation Chromite will be the first film for some years to have Liam Neeson play an important historical figure. Having found vast success playing people such as Oskar Schindler, Ethan Frome, Michael Collins, and Alfred Kinsey, Neeson essentially reinvented himself as an action star, with his Taken movies, the Star Wars franchise, Battleship, Unknown and The A-Team, among others. Could Operation Chromite kick-start a different phase of his career? Let’s hope so.
