Jason Bateman is set to join Liam Neeson and Diane Lane in the “Deep Throat” thriller Felt
Jason Bateman (The Gift, Bad Words) is the third actor in as many days to join the cast of Peter Landesman’s historical “Deep Throat” spy thriller Felt. Bateman will co-star alongside Academy Award nominees Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List, Taken) and Diane Lane (Unfaithful, Man of Steel). Bateman will play FBI Agent and Felt lieutenant, Charlie Bates, who discovers that Felt is leaking classified information on the Watergate investigation, and is conflicted about whether to destroy his mentor or protect him.
Felt aims to be a taut spy thriller, centering on “Deep Throat,” the pseudonym given to the notorious whistleblower for one of the greatest scandals of all time, Watergate. The true identity of the secret informant remained a mystery and source of much public curiosity and speculation for more than 30 years. That is until, in 2005, special agent Mark Felt (Neeson) shockingly revealed himself as the tipster. This unbelievable true “Deep Throat” story chronicles the personal and professional life of the brilliant and uncompromising Felt, who risked and ultimately sacrificed everything – his family, his career, his freedom – in the name of justice.
Felt is based on a script by Landesman, who will also direct and produce. MadRiver Pictures will finance and produce, alongside Scott Free Productions, Playtone and Cara Films. Ridley Scott, Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Giannina Scott, Marc Butan, Christopher Woodrow and Jay Roach will produce. Steven Shareshian and Michael Schaefer will executive produce alongside Michael Bassick and Steven Marshall.
Principal photography is set to begin in March 2016.
This will be the second collaboration for writer/director Peter Landesman, Giannina Scott and Ridley Scott, following their very successful collaboration on Concussion starring Will Smith, which Sony will release wide on Christmas Day.
(Photo Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN.com)
