Liam Neeson is now Russell Crowe's partner in crime in 'Three Days'

Liam Neeson on the red carpet this past August.

Credit: AP Photo/Evan Agostini

When tragedy strikes, many people dive into their work to cope with the pain.  Liam Neeson hasn't said much publicly following the startling death of his wife Natasha Richardson in March, but he's certainly focusing on his work in the meantime.  The Oscar-nominee has shot an eye-popping four films already this year and now is set to appear in his fifth.  According to Variety, Neeson will join the Paul Haggis thriller "The Next Three Days."

Already shooting, the Lionsgate picture finds Russell Crowe as a teacher whose wife, played by Elizabeth Banks, is falsely convicted of a murder she didn't commit. After she becomes suicidal after several years of being in jail, Crowe's character takes things to an extreme and decides to break her out.  Neeson will play an ex-con who has broken out of jail numerous times, used his celebrity to write a book about it and gives Crowe advice on how to do the deed. 

Haggis' first film since "In the Valley of Elah" two years ago is actually an adaptation of the 2008 French release "Pour Elle."  The noted screenwriter has also recruited Brian Dennehy, Olivia Wilde, "True Blood's" Aisha Hinds, Daniel Stern and RZA. 

Neeson's packed year has included Atom Egoyan's "Chloe" which premiered to mostly negative reviews at last month's Toronto Film Festival, "After.Life" with Justin Long and Christina Ricci, "Clash of the Titans" (where he plays Zeus) and the long-awaited big screen version of "The A-Team" where he portrays the group's leader, Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, white hair and all.

Whether Neeson will rest after "Three Days" is unclear, he's also attached to play the 16th president of the United States in Steven Spielberg's still in development "Lincoln" which the director insists is still happening and could shoot next year.