Martin Campbell is a director who knows how to handle action, and his latest film Memory is further proof of that. The thriller, which is out in theaters this weekend, follows a hitman (Liam Neeson, Taken) with a conscience and a growing case of Alzheimer's who decides to take vengeance on those who tried to make him betray his moral code.

Having previously directed some of the most iconic James Bond films in recent memory, Casino Royale and Goldeneye, Campbell was the perfect man to helm a nuanced yet adventure-filled Neeson vehicle. And the star power doesn't end there, with Monica Bellucci and Guy Pearce portraying the assassin's antagonists in the story.

Related: Liam Neeson Is A Hitman With A Fading Memory In New Trailer

Campbell spoke to Screen Rant about wanting to work with Neeson, shared the process of remaking the original Belgian film for American audiences, and even revealed some of his thoughts on his divisive Green Lantern film.

Liam Neeson holding a gun in Memory.

Screen Rant: Congrats on Memory coming out. 

Martin Campbell:  Oh, thank you very much. 

Can you walk me through just how you and Memory came together? What grabbed you about this story? How did it get started?

Martin Campbell:  Well, very simply, this is a remake, actually. There was a Belgian film made in 2003 called Memory of a Killer, and it was a very good movie. In 2013, someone gave me the DVD, which I really liked. I tried to get the rights and couldn't, and three years later, I tried again, got the rights, managed to get the money to get a script written.

I sent it to Liam Neeson, met Liam, he said, "I really want to do this." And of course, I get the money then, to make the movie, because Liam was in it.

Liam Neeson is fantastic. But were you surprised you two haven't worked together yet? It feels like a match made, you know?

Martin Campbell: Well, he was a very busy man. I mean [laughs], it never occurred to me.  A lot of people have asked me that question, and now, of course, I look at it. Yes, it probably is surprising that we haven't worked together. I mean, given that he's Irish, and I lived in England for many years. It probably is surprising.

Is there anything that surprised you about working with him? Did he the anything he did that you didn't expect?

Martin Campbell: Well, first of all, he is a terrific actor to work with. He doesn't want to produce, he doesn't want direct, he's not into any of that. He simply wants to act and he likes acting, and he likes action. I mean, that's the other thing, which is why he does so many action films. I don't think this is an action film, it's got action in it.

But I think what attracted him was the complexity of that character, a hitman getting Alzheimer's and how that affects the film, his relationship with Guy Pearce, where they both come together in the interests of justice, wanting to bring down the bad guys. I think all of those elements appealed to him and he's such a terrific actor. The thing is, so much empathy with that guy, you just like him. I've said it before, but it's like Tom Hanks. How can you not like Tom Hanks? And it's like Liam. How can you not like Liam Neeson?

I was lucky to interview him. I just love that, instead of just answering the questions, he tells stories with it, too. 

Martin Campbell: Yeah! He's been in over 100 films, you know?

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Guy Pearce in Memory

And Guy Pearce, I almost didn't recognize him.

Martin Campbell: Well, the thing is, in the original film, he was much younger. He was in his early 30s and I just wanted an older guy who's been in the force for a longer time, and who really bears the scars of an honest cop dealing with the corruption around him. Neither of his bosses, the DA nor his boss, they don't want to prosecute this case. It's self-interest. They don't want to do that. When he and Liam come together, essentially, in the interest of serving justice, that relationship between them both, I was fascinated by.

What would you say were the biggest changes you made from the original to your version of the story?

Martin Campbell: The opening scene in the movie is something that's not in the original. The ending is very different from the original. And to be honest, I hyped up the action a little more than it was. Don't forget, the original, in Belgium, they didn't have a big budget, but they made a damn good film out of having little money. But I at least could enhance the action, perhaps more than was in the original movie. Apart from that, there's little tweaks and adjustments and so forth. I staged things differently, but the dramatic elements of the story all remain the same.

You've introduced two James Bonds and done The Mask of Zorro, one of the most beloved movies. What have you found appeals most to get you in the director's chair?

Martin Campbell: Appeals to me most... Well, I think the check that they pay me is probably the most fascinating [laughs]. It's most horrible if I don't get much money. 

It's just the challenge of doing it. The thing is, it's tough. Directing is tough because of all the political s**t you have to put up with before getting a movie. The actual directing part is pretty small. But getting a movie made, cast, financed, all of that stuff, the political shenanigans you have to go through, and then finally you get your movie up and running, you shoot it, and you hope to God that you're gonna get your cut. Then, dealing with the notes afterward, often ludicrous notes, and so on and so forth. But somehow, all the processes, it's a journey.

Every movie is a real journey. I always go into directing like I've never directed before. Can I pull this one off? Is it going to be okay? And people go, "Is it going to work? Are the actors, the right actors?" It's fear. It's a fear factor, really, that drives you on. And certainly, when I get in the editing room at the end of it, I'm thinking, "Oh, thank God shooting's over. I can sit back and the film can only get better by sitting in the editing room and cutting it. That's the exciting part for me.

What was the biggest challenge in making Memory? Was there a moment where you were like, "Gosh."

Martin Campbell:  I don't think there were any. First of all, I had bloody good actors. That makes a big difference. We all got on well. We got time to rehearse before we [shot]. Everybody liked the script. Everybody got on well together, and sometimes that doesn't happen, by the way. Sometimes you get lucky, and I got lucky on this movie.

You talk about there's a journey to even get the films made? Is there something that you really have your eye on that you would love to direct, but it just hasn't happened yet?

Martin Campbell: No, no, no. People say, "Well, isn't there a movie that you really want to--" Absolutely not. No.

I get offered scripts. Some of them - most of them, a lot of them - are not very good. I just do it on instinct. I say, "Well, I liked the script. I'd like to do it." That's the way it works. In the case of Memory, it was simply seeing the movie, which I thought would transpose wonderfully to the US/Mexican border, because sex trafficking is the backdrop to the movie. So it's obviously a place where that is prevalent, so it seemed to be a perfect fit.

Would you ever do another superhero film or anything like that?

Martin Campbell: No, I'm not good at superhero movies. Green Lantern? People didn't like that movie, and frankly, I shouldn't have done it. I did it because I've never done one. You work just as hard on the movies that really are not successful as you do on the ones that are. I think there are people better qualified than me to do a superhero movie.

Well, you got Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds together. 

Martin Campbell: Well, I did! That, of course, is the success of that movie.

By the way, both terrific people, honestly. Blake's hilarious. She used to cook little cakes for us every morning on set. She'd bake them herself and bring them onto the set, and Ryan was a terrific guy as well.

Memory Synopsis

Liam Neeson Memory movie trailer featured

When Alex, an expert assassin, refuses to complete a job for a dangerous criminal organization, he becomes a target. FBI agents and Mexican intelligence are brought in to investigate the trail of bodies, leading them closer to Alex. With the crime syndicate and FBI in hot pursuit, Alex has the skills to stay ahead, except for one thing: he is struggling with severe memory loss, affecting his every move. Alex must question his every action and whom he can ultimately trust.

Check out our previous Memory interviews with Monica Bellucci and Liam Neeson.

More: Memory & 9 Other Must-Watch Liam Neeson Movies For New Fans

Memory is currently out in theaters.