For the most demanding driving scenes in ‘La mangosta’, Liam Neeson performed inside a car while a stunt specialist controlled it from a position above the roof. UPI reported that a roof-mounted pod let the stunt driver operate one of the film’s Shelby cars while Neeson remained inside. The production used four Shelbys, including a car UPI described as a Ford Mustang Shelby Super Snake GT350. Neeson said the setup made him nervous, though he trusted his colleagues.
Off screen, the actor has little interest in cars. In an interview with People published on October 27, 2026, he said he reaches at most 58 miles per hour, about 93 km/h, on motorways and drives a black car. He also said he knows nothing about cars. Neeson described some of his own driving for the film as a controlled “cheat,” saying he did not lead at speed.
That stands in marked contrast to his action-film career, which began with ‘Venganza’ in 2008 and has featured numerous high-speed chases. In ‘La mangosta’, he plays Ryan “Fang” Flanagan, a veteran military man accused of murder who flees police in a Shelby Super Snake. The police-pursuit story follows Flanagan across the country.
Mark Vanselow directs the film. He is Neeson’s regular stunt double and has collaborated with him on around thirty projects. UPI reported that the film marks Vanselow’s feature-directing debut. It was scheduled to open in theaters on October 30, 2026, and is due to arrive on Prime Video in Spain on November 4.
Filming in Australia brought another safety concern: kangaroos frequently lingered near the track used for car-action work, particularly around dusk. Neeson said the animals could suddenly cross the road, so the crew monitored them during vehicle sequences.
Screen chases are staged, but real pursuits can damage vehicles. In an A-5 pursuit report, a fleeing driver damaged two Guardia Civil vehicles and a private car.
