First A Monster Calls Lead Stars Announced

Talent from Taken and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 joins Focus Features' fantasy film.
Focus Features have this week announced the first central cast members of their upcoming fantasy drama movie A Monster Calls. Based on Patrick Ness' beloved 2011 children's novel of the same name (which in itself was based on an inspired idea conceived by the late and great Siobhan Dowd), the film is just one of several works by Ness set to land on the big-screen, with a cinematic rendition of The Knife of Never Letting Go currently in the works over at Lionsgate.

Believe it or not, Liam Neeson is set to play none other than the Monster (don't worry, it'll all make sense when you watch it!) in the movie, while Felicity Jones will portray an as-of-yet unannounced character (reportedly the mother of the novel's protagonist Conor). Neeson is best known for his plentiful contributions to the action genre including Taken and The Expendables 3, whereas Jones' big-screen repertoire is more subtle, entailing a range of productions such as Cemetery Junction and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. We should be hearing more about the film itself in the months ahead, but for now, here's the first official plot synopsis from Focus (via Screendaily): "Thirteen-year-old Conor O'Malley is troubled by his mother's declining health, school bullies and the yew tree in his backyard that transforms at night into a monster that narrates strong stories. Over time what the terrifying visitor tells the boy enables him to come to terms with life's truths."

A Monster Calls will transform in cinemas worldwide on October 14th, 2016.