We saw what the “Taken” franchise did for the career of Liam Neeson. The actor was primarily known for his dramatic work at the time that “Taken” was released. However, after that film, Neeson saw his stock as an action star soar, with multiple sequels of the film, along with “’Taken’ on a…” style knock-offs. Now, it’s Allison Janney’s turn to experience an action movie renaissance.
THR is reporting that Janney is set to star in the upcoming J.J. Abrams-produced thriller “Lou.” The film follows a young woman and her landlord (Janney). The woman enlists the landlord in helping her find her kidnapped child, who was taken by the woman’s estranged husband. According to the report, Janney’s landlord character shows “unexpectedly impressive tracking abilities, among other skill sets.” Oh, a particular set of skills, huh?
“Lou” comes from director Anna Foerster, who is best known for her TV work, helming episodes of Netflix’s “Jessica Jones” and the Starz series “Outlander.” The script is written by Maggie Cohn, who previously has written “The Girl Before” and an episode of “American Crime Story.”
Janney has recently become a marquee name, thanks to her role on the successful CBS sitcom “Mom” and her recent Best Supporting Actress Oscar win for the film “I, Tonya.” She has some other high-profile films on the way, including starring opposite Hugh Jackman in the film “Bad Education,” as well as the Jay Roach film about disgraced Fox News executive Roger Ailes.
There’s no release date for “Lou,” as of now, but the film is expected to begin production sometime in spring 2019.
In the meantime, check out the iconic speech and imagine Allison Janney’s incredible take on it: