The Taken star will play the agency's deputy director, who served as an informant to The Washington Post's Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in 1972 during the scandal, which resulted in the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon.

Felt, who was also known as Deep Throat, was revealed as the informant who worked with the journalists in 2005. Together they uncovered a major political scandal that occurred as a result of a 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.

Nixon's administration officials attempted to cover up their involvement in the drama, which sparked a major conspiracy and a subsequent high-powered investigation, which unearthed the a series of illegal activities undertaken by members of Nixon's staff, including bugging the offices of political opponents.

As well as the President's resignation, the scandal led to the indictment of 69 people.

The film, titled Felt, will focus on Neeson's character as he struggles with his job at the government agency and his role in the scandal. It will be directed by Parkland's Peter Landesman.

Felt passed away in 2008.

It won't be Neeson's first link to a major U.S. historical figure - he was Steven Spielberg's first choice to play President Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln.