The Agency's Posts

Lindsay Lohan, 'Scary Movie 5': Actress Reportedly In Talks To Star In Horror Spoof: They say three is a trend, and Lindsay Lohan may have just notched her third major acting....
Read More>

'Smash': Krysta Rodriguez, Leslie Odom Jr. Added As Series Regulars: The "Smash" Season 2 cast continues to change. According to EW,Krysta Rodriguez has....
Read More>

How Long Will the Superhero Phenomenon Last?: America likes action, and so does the world, no question about that. And with a slew of big....
Read More>

Philip Seymour Hoffman & 'Hunger Games: Catching Fire': Less than one month after being offered the chance to playPlutarch Heavensbee in "The....
Read More>

Could Seth Meyers go from 'SNL' to 'Live! With Kelly'? Jul 6, 2012: LOS ANGELES -- Seth Meyers begins a week-long guest hosting stint on "Live! With Kelly"....
Read More>

Ryan Reynolds Is Like Robert Redford, 'Safe House' Director Says: "Safe House," the CIA thriller, gives no overt indication that it is a....
Read More>

Katie Holmes-Tom Cruise split centers on Scientology, source says: Katie Holmes' decision to divorce Tom Cruise was based largely on her desire to distance her....
Read More>

Raunch rules as R-rated films 'Ted,' 'Magic Mike' overperform: "Magic Mike"was stripped of the top spot at the box office by a debaucherous teddy....
Read More>

'Magic Mike': It's a living for Steven Soderbergh's troupe of male strippers ✭✭✭ 1/: It's crazy to oversell "Magic Mike,"or fluff it up into something its makers never....
Read More>

Ted': Crude comedy doesn't quite bear up: Like "The Hangover"and its sequel, "Ted"is a bully of a comedy but a bully....
Read More>

Can CNN take a lesson from HBO's ratings for 'The Newsroom'?: HBO's new drama "The Newsroom"got the kind of ratings cable news networks might....
Read More>

Charlie Sheen all grown up in 'Anger Management,: Is Charlie Sheen representing reality in his sitcoms, or is he trying to shape it? Better....
Read More>
'Taken 2' shoots for a repeat of box office magic with Liam Neeson
Posted on: 10/06/12
Share/Save/Bookmark
 

The creators of 2009's unexpected hit 'Taken' aim to establish a franchise, with a sequel that seems bound for box office success as hero Liam Neeson returns.



"Taken" was a rare phenomenon in Hollywood when it premiered in January 2009: a surprise smash hit. At a time when big screen brands are carefully managed and would-be blockbusters created from a list of ingredients, no one expected much from a low-budget European action movie starring Liam Neeson. Not even its distributors at Fox.

But, drawn by a story that balanced ruthless action with a compelling father-daughter relationship, audiences kept buying tickets over a five-month run at the box office, taking it from a solid $24.7-million opening to a fantastic final domestic take of $145 million. With a production budget of less than $30 million, it was one of the year's most profitable films.

Now Fox Filmed Entertainment and its partner Europa Corp. are trying to turn a surprise into a franchise. "Taken 2," which opens Friday, faces the delicate challenge of trying to draw the public back to a cinematic world that they felt they had discovered on their own the first time around.

"Whether this succeeds depends on whether we can surprise them twice," said Fox marketing President and Chief Creative Officer Tony Sella. "It's the hardest thing to do."

All indications are that Fox has managed the build-up well. Several knowledgeable people who have seen pre-release surveys said they expect it will have a strong opening of $40 million or more. (A spokesman said the studio is looking for a smaller, but still decent, debut of $30 million to $35 million.)

The first "Taken" was born from a report that writer-producer Luc Besson saw on French television about a house near Marseilles where about 20 teenage girls were held hostage and turned into sex slaves. He fashioned that idea into a script about an American ex-CIA agent who must rescue his daughter after she is kidnapped while vacationing with friends in Paris.

Star Neeson had never carried an action movie before and Besson was surprised to find out he was interested. But "Taken" ended up launching a career renaissance of sorts for the Irish actor, who has gone on to play a tough guy in such pictures as "The A-Team," "Unknown" and "The Grey."

But what ultimately connected with audiences, Fox Co-Chairman Jim Gianopulos believes, was not the way Neeson's character took out everyone who stood between him and his daughter.

"We've seen plenty of shoot-em-ups," he said. "This was at its core a powerful dramatic story about a man who gives up his life to be with his daughter."

The movie was developed and largely overseen by Europa, which Besson founded. Though Fox has no formal arrangement with the company, there was little question that the two would work together. The relationship between Besson and Gianopulos dates back to 2002's "The Transporter."

"Luc and I have become very close," said Gianopulos. "We don't have a piece of paper. We have something better than that."

Gianopulos was eager for a sequel soon after the release of the original "Taken," Besson said. But developing a story that wouldn't leave audiences rolling their eyes when Neeson's daughter was kidnapped again wasn't easy.

"At first I said, 'too bad,' because the film was not designed to have a sequel," Besson said. "Then we were talking and I thought it could be fun to do the opposite — if the daughter has to try and save him."

In "Taken 2," Neeson's daughter and ex-wife, played, respectively, by Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen, visit him in Istanbul, where the father of one of the kidnappers from the first movie seeks revenge.

When Neeson gets captured, his daughter must attempt to rescue him.

Sella said that switch has been a key part of recent advertisements.

"We're starting to show that the daughter is more proactive because teenage girls respond to that," he explained.


COMMENTS
Be the first to post a comment!


Post A Comment:




  • It's 2020! Start booking roles in commercials, fashion, films, theater and more with The Agency Online!

  • NEW WORKSHOP with Barbara Barna & Sean De Simone!

    Hi Everyone and Happy Summer! Sean at Sean De Simone casting and Barbara Barna are teaming up for a super informative and fun Hosting for Home Shopping workshop. A great opportunity for established or experienced TV Hosts and Experts interested in learning how to get noticed and how to get in....
  • MASTERCLASS W. Robin Carus & David John Madore

    A Special Offer for the Agency Community, from one of our favorite NYC Casting Directors! EMAIL FacetheMusicWithUs@gmail.com Or Eventbrite To Sign Up! Class Size is Limited.
  • Don't Fall Into The Comparison Trap

    Hi Everyone! As the second installment in an ongoing series of features by the Agency's amazing community, here's some sage advice from our own Regina Rockensies; a humble (& awesome)veteran we've had the pleasure of working with for a long time. Have an excellent week! : ) - The Agency....
  • One Model's Agreement

    Hi Everyone! As the first piece in an ongoing series of original articles by the Agency community, here's a short reflection on some of the values of professional acting & modeling that we can all keep in mind for our next casting. Good luck on your castings &shoots this week! : ) -....




 
home       castings&news       privacy policy       terms and conditions      contact us      browser tips
Official PayPal Seal