VOD Spotlight: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes experience sibling rivalry in “Wrath of the Titans”

It might seem at odds with formal mythology to conjure up a sequel for a story that’s thousands of years old, but the creators of Wrath of the Titans knew enough to keep it in the family. The film — which features Sam Worthington reprising his role as the heroic Perseus, as well as Liam Neeson as Zeus and Ralph Fiennes as Hades — takes place a little more than 10 years after Perseus’ defeat of the Kraken. Now living as the sole parent to his 10-year-old son Helius, Perseus is content leading the idyllic life of a village fisherman. But up in Olympus, turmoil has been brewing among the gods: Lack of devotion by humanity has weakened their powers and threatened their immortality, and the Titans that brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon (Danny Huston) have kept imprisoned for eons — including the brothers’ father, Kronos — are becoming uncontrollable. When Hades, along with Zeus’ son Ares, betray the gods and forge a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus, hell is about to be released on Earth, and sibling rivalry reaches new heights. 

Neeson elaborates on how the filmmakers approached the continuing story of these brothers, both gods, who grapple with their waning immortality. Director “Jonathan [Liebesman] and the writers wanted to mine the difficult relationships between Zeus and his sons, Perseus and Ares, and his complex history with Hades and their own father, Kronos. That appealed to me greatly — the realism within a fantasy, the very human emotions driving this story that takes place in a fabled world.”

Although Neeson and Fiennes play bitter rivals in the film, both have been friends for years, having first performed opposite each other onscreen in 1993’s Schindler’s List. Each welcomed the chance to play so many scenes with the other. “We burst out laughing a few times,” Neeson says,  “because, well, there we were again in long wigs and beards and breast plates, me with my thunderbolt and he with his pitchfork.”

“Liam and I had much more interaction in this film than in the last, and some really strong scenes to play, which we loved,” Fiennes adds. “To be working with a friend is always a good thing.”

Wrath of the Titans is available starting June 26 on Video On Demand. Check your cable system for availability.

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© 2012 Warner Bros. Pictures.