We often make light of how Liam Neeson continues to do action films even though he’s 68-years-old. However, when you compare him to Sylvester Stallone, Neeson is positively youthful, as the “Rocky” actor will turn 75 this year. That said, according to the director of Stallone’s upcoming superhero film, “Samaritan,” the action legend is doing things that people a third his age couldn’t imagine doing.
Speaking to TotalFilm, director Julius Avery talked about what it’s like having the aging action star as the lead in a superhero film in 2020. And apparently, it’s pretty great.
READ MORE: Sylvester Stallone Teams With ‘Overlord’ Director For New Superhero Film ‘Samaritan’
“This is a big event movie – we see our heroes kicking ass,” Avery said. “We’re going to see Sly do things he hasn’t done in a long time, and in a really inventive way. He’s 73 years old! I’m amazed by how much he actually does. I’m telling you, most guys in their twenties wouldn’t be able to do what Sly does in this movie.”
“Samaritan” tells the story of a young boy who discovers that a superhero (Stallone), who has been gone for two decades, is actually his neighbor. Avery describes the film as a grounded action film about a boy looking for a father figure and maybe finding one in his superhero pal. And judging by the first-look photo, which has Stallone looking downright “regular” in just a hooded jacket saving the boy, this is definitely going for a more realistic tone. Then again, it also has Stallone, so we can expect plenty of action.
Avery is no stranger to action, either. His previous film, “Overlord,” is a supernatural war film that is basically non-stop action from its bloody beginning to over-the-top end. And it’s also just an incredibly fun throwback to action films of the ‘80s, where heroes kick ass and blood is everywhere. Clearly, if he wants to keep that sort of sensibility going with “Samaritan,” he’s got the right leading man for the job.
“Samaritan” is expected to be released on June 4. Here’s the first-look photo:
