LIAM NEESON - NEESON AND THEWLIS SIGN ON FOR HEAVEN

Actors LIAM NEESON and DAVID THEWLIS will join ORLANDO BLOOM in RIDLEY SCOTT's latest movie.

The British director has signed up the top names for his film KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, which is set in the 12th century.

Scott tells movie website EMPIRE ONLINE, "I wanted to do a film with knights in armour, but thought why do some homogenous story when screenwriter WILLIAM MONAHAN came up with such rich history?

"He based this drama on accurate research, which he spent 19 months compiling and writing."

Scott plans the film to be on an even more epic scale than his 2000 blockbuster GLADIATOR.